The Death Of Ivan Ilyich Analysis

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Diego Sanchez Professor Cordes AP Literature 21 November 2014 Gerasim, Who Died? The role of Gerasim in The Death of Ivan Ilych, written by Lev Tolstoy, is shown with great influence as Ivan departs from the living. He is known as the butler’s assistant in the Ilych household; however, he is the opposite to Ivan. He is simple,clean and unburdened by the riches of man that cause Ivan to die hopelessly. Ivan’s hope seems to diminish, but re-emits itself as Gerasim. As Ivan dies little by little, he is forced to take opium or have a companion like Gerasim who will listen and understand his pity. Gerasim is used by Tolstoy as a literary device by concentrating on the value of family to Ivan, forming the morality that changes in Ivan, and discussing the relief that is caused by death. Ivan has a clear sense of what is the right…show more content…
Ivan is already dead but Gerasim talks to Peter Ivanovich by stating “It’s God will. We shall all come to it some day”(pg. 11) This small talk with Gerasim shows that he acknowledge Ivan’s death and that “it” is death. Ivan goes through stages before he dies in a thoughtful manner. Ivan is meet with death when he bonks his side with a silly door knob. “Ivan Ilych would turn his attention to it and try to drive the thought of it away, but without success. It would come and stand before him and look at him, and he would be petrified and the light would die out of his eyes, and he would again begin asking himself whether It alone was true”(pg. 37). Pain and suffering goes through Ivan’s mind but once Gerasim walks into the room he is comforted by a grateful man. Gerasim symbolizes the hope in the way that death will not pass on early to Ivan. Gerasim does not talk about death profoundly but understands that he too will pass away, especially if no one notices. Gerasim has spoken to Ivan that the simple relief in death is to accept death, to embrace death with open
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