The Death Of Ivan Ilych Analysis

Will Rogers once stated, “Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don't want..to impress people that they don't like.” Rogers’ quote describes the corruptness of money and how it sometimes only brings sadness and despair to our lives. Leo Tolstoy describes in his story, “The Death of Ivan Ilych,” how death is often inevitable and no matter how much money one owns, money does not make us happy. By describing the thoughts of Ivan Ilych and the peers surrounding him, Leo Tolstoy illustrates how one is often so immersed in personal valuables that one’s mood and way of life is changed in a negative way. By delving into the thoughts of Ivan Ilych throughout his life and on his deathbed, Leo Tolstoy describes how money and valuables

After Ivan’s death, the main thought occurring in his peers’ minds were the thoughts of the advancements they would encounter in their jobs. With Ivan gone, many of his co-workers would advance in their business and receive higher pay checks. Due to this unfortunate event, Tolstoy explains the corrupt effect money has on people. When Ivan’s death is announced to his work peers, Tolstoy seizes the moment to explain how the money is able to negatively control one in life when he states, “ So on receiving the news of Ivan Ilych’s death the first thought of each of the gentlemen in that private room was of the changes and promotions it might occasion among themselves or their acquaintances” (Tolstoy). Not only are Ivan’s friends not mourning over his passing, but they are only thinking of themselves and of what they receive from the death of Ivan Ilych. Also, even though many of Ivan’s peers claim to be significantly close to Ivan, Tolstoy describes how they dread the annoyance of now having to waste a good work day to attend his funeral when Tolstoy expresses, “…his socalled friends, could not help thinking also that they would now have to fulfill the very tiresome demands of propriety by attending the funeral service and paying a visit of condolence to the widow” (Tolstoy). Although many of Ivan’s friends exclaimed how much they would miss Ivan, they dreaded attending his funeral; hence, the corruption money has on one’s mind. Ivan’s wife is also an example of what money can do, and will do, if possessed in large amounts. While Ivan is dying, his wife has secret desires for wanting him to pass, but then realizes that if Ivan dies, she would lose his large amount of income. Tolstoy illustrates this major moment when he states, “She began to wish he would die; yet she did not want him to die because then his salary