Ivan Ilych

What sort of a relationship did Ivan Ilyich have with his wife?
Ivan Ilyich did not have a very good relationship with his wife due to the fact that I believe he most likely married her to keep his image as proper and sophisticated. As they were married longer and longer he realized that his wife does not really understand him, especially when he figures he out he is dying. As he awakens to the fact that he does not actually like her, he grows closer and closer to his work and distants himself from his family.

What is the major concern of his friends?
His supposed friends are mostly concerned with who will replace Ivan’s job which I believe is dude to the fact that even Ivan’s major concern was his job. His main goal was to maintain his job and be proper. He strived for this so much that he was not able to create genuinely strong relationships out of exception with Gerasim. His tale is one of lonely pursuit for success.

What is the role of Gerasim in The Death of Ivan Ilyich?
I believe Gerasim’s role in the story is kind of depressing. A man lives his whole life without any strong friendships or relationships, but when he finally finds out how nice it to be understood by someone else, he is on his death bed. Although, her role can also be seen as Ivan’s fulfillment in life that he finally learned what it is to be happy and to connect with another person.

What emotions are demonstrated from his wife? What gaps exist between internal and external expressions of emotion? Why do you think such gaps exist?
During the mourning processes his wife plays the act of the depressed wife and cries a lot; however, when Ivan’s pension has to be discussed she happens to keep a straight face and know quite a bit about how to make the most of Ivan’s money. The gap exists right between there, internally she does not care about his death and just wants his pension, while externally she puts up a façade. I think this gap also exists for his friends and co-workers who can only think about whether they are going to make a card game during Ivan’s memorial.

What are the character qualities of Ivan Ilych as a child and school boy?
Ivan Ilych is the “happy mean” between his two brothers because he is neither cold and formal nor wild and reckless. At age thirteen he enters the school of law and his characteristics include being proper and agreeable. The most important characteristic though was that from such a early age he was attracted to socially high standing people as if a “fly drawn to light”.

How do these traits shape his adult life and behavior?
I believe these traits directly shape his adult life because he is constantly trying to attain a higher position and keep a “proper” image. His commitment is completely to his work because he is good at it. His relationship with his wife gets weaker and weaker because he realizes he is not good at dealing with it so he goes back to what he strives at.(537)