Comparing Willy Loman And The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

II & DOAS Compare and Contrast Essay
In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy, Willy Loman and Ivan Ilyich were both on a constant search for ways to attain the ideal life that they dream for. These two pieces of literature allowed us to take a step back and observe the consequences of a skewed mindset. The two protagonists painted a picture of the ideal life they wish for, alarming us the aftermath of removing ourselves from the reality. Willy and Ivan similar value their imagination, but due to their unique experiences, they came to a different conclusion about life when living their last moments.
Tracing back to Willy and Ivan’s life, we can observe factors such as family and persona that contributes

to their distinct view of death. Success happened to be an essential factor in both Willy and Ivan’s life. However, it worked differently in the two characters’ life, ultimately leading to their different perspectives on success in life. Willy has worked his whole life to be well liked, as he believes that is the key to success. He even set his own son, Biff, up for failure by drilling mistaken teachings such as “Be liked and you will never want”(Miller 32) since Biff was little. He was a strong believer of achieving the desired results through hard work, until later he figured that his work is put into waste, as it happens to be worthless. On the other hand, Ivan worked hard to attain success; however, he dreams of a life lived effortlessly and decently. Oftentimes, he will arrange “as easy and pleasant a situation”(Tolstoy 10) as possible for himself. However, after an unexpected incident that has been haunting Ivan ever since, his thinking is influenced and shifted completely. Ivan understands that nothing in life comes easy and most if not all things have to be worked for. Other than success, both Willy and Ivan recognize the importance of family when they are beaten down by life. Willy married his wife with the motive to form a family and support system. Unfortunately, he became aloof from his wife and even his sons. He started to have illusions where he engrosses himself in the past. He brings himself to the past where he enjoys a slight moment of happiness, then returns to the reality and gets frustrated. For instance, he lashed out after remembering the woman in the past, as he has a notion of what is real even though he never wants to accept it. Ivan’s marriage consists of no meaning but his own reputation. He was never connected with his family, as he only got married because it benefits him and makes his life more convenient. Sadly, he only regrets his actions when death draws closer to him. He wished he spent more time with his son and gain more emotional support from them, which requires a lot of effort in Ivan’s eyes.
Having the realization that humans are not immortal, Ivan and Willy stepped into death with hope and despair respectively.

Their last thoughts before death are what set them apart. Willy spent his whole life in searching for a way to success, but failed. He was extremely caught up with the unrealistic ideal picture that he painted in his mind. Hopelessness, gloominess finally hit Willy, causing him to yell out “I suppose that’s my fault”(Miller 131). On the other hand, Ivan’s expectation of life is to live with no expectations. Because of expectations, Willy stepped into darkness; because of expectations, Ivan stepped into the light. Another crucial detail that creates a stark contrast between them is the manner of their death. Death came to Ivan, whereas Willy searched for death. Death was an unwelcome guest in Ivan’s life where he had to deal with this uncomfortable feeling that disrupted the decency of his life. He cannot bring himself to accept the fact that death is approaching him and his life is getting more inconvenient every day. He enjoyed an ordinary life but extraordinary death. He dwelled on the past and could not let go until he realized he “mustn’t think about that…too painful,” as “[he] said to himself and shifted back to the present.”(Tolstoy 48). Ivan figured that life is not meant to be easy and eventually accepted his death, knowing he could not change anything. However, Willy notices that his dreams are never going to come true, as he “[doesn’t] have a thing in the ground.”(Miller 122) With a late notion of himself being detached from reality, Willy decided that he could not fulfill his purpose while living. Therefore, he examined the needs of his family, and was certain that his death will be better off for everyone including himself. Both Willy and Ivan believed that their deaths would be of the best interest for them and people around

them.
With Willy and Ivan’s unique life experiences, death allowed them to reevaluate their belief system. They both understood the impossibility of their imaginations, and eventually admit the reality they were facing. Unfortunately, they apprehend the fact at a later stage of their life, where things cannot be altered as much anymore. Therefore, death is the best option available. Willy and Ivan both encountered mental death before their physical death, demonstrating the psychology happening within a person when put on a cliff. The two works by Miller and Tolstoy differed, as they investigate specific of the two characters; however, they both intend to convey death as part of the bigger picture of life.