Chapter 2 of the story
Death of Ivan Ilych opens with a sentence that reads "Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible" and when you continue to read the chapter, it proves to be very true. It seems that Ivan Ilych didn't have any kind of will to live his life the way that he wanted to. He always did the predictable and what was seemed to be expected of him. The story states in detail that he did not marry because he was in love but because it was the right thing to do and it gave him satisfaction to do it. It seemed like his entire life he was just going through the motions, of going to school, getting a job, getting married, starting a family and never making connections with people and never doing anything just because he wanted to. Even the few instances that he broke out of ordinary, for example, having affairs and going to the whore houses was only because others of higher or the same social standings were doing those things and he figured he would also probably to feel like he fits in.
Maybe he was happy having an ordinary,simple life that others may percieve as terrible. He ultimately did whatever he wanted just went with the flow and didnt like confrontation which is why he stayed at work when he and his wife were having troubles, he probobly thought that was the right way to be and he didnt think much of it. The narrator percieves his life as terrible but if it were a 1st person narration maybe we would have had a whole different story, not soo terrible!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, society shaped his life, thus making his life not ordinary at all, but controlling. He had to fit the "simple" criteria to what a life should look life, and that resulted in him not living a fulfilled life, but a life of doing everything possible to be accepted. It is sad that he ended without a bang to his life, instead he ended empty. He was probably happy when everyone adored him but maybe he felt resentment at times for not doing what he passionately wanted to aim for. What else could prove his lack of life?
ReplyDeleteIt is true that Ivan does do things motivated purely from what is expected out of him socially. He does things because he does not want to "stir the pot" or "make waves". Because he never wants to do anything for the reason of just wanting to, he ends up having a terrible life. I also thought, and I would like to know what you think, about when Ivan cannot die or pass into the light until he accepts he has lived a terrible life. I think there is a good philosophical debate that could be had on the fact that people hold on and resist death because they cannot accept something in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI like your entire paragraph, minus a few grammatical errors, but I was left with a cliffhanger. You need to finish your though process. Create a more full thought and support it and it will be a good paragraph.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with you that Ivan tried living his life the way society wanted one to live a life. He did things like get married, not because of love, but because that was the right thing to do. I honestly believe that without love there is no life. Do you think maybe at some point Ivan really did love his wife? He does find out in the end that she truly cares for him but is too late by then?
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