Realism_in_“the_Death_of_Ivan_Ilyich

Realism in “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” Realism is exactly as its root suggests it is. The composition of the meaning of this word is just as it denotes, real. People are more concerned with the biological, social and economic aspects of their existences, than with living life as they want to live it. They seem extremely infatuated with the more tangible aspects of life rather than the emotional gratuities that it has to offer. Though they are in complete control of their actions, they are being lead blindly by the actions of their peers, as is Ivan Ilyich. People who were overtaken by the realist logic were more consumed in making life into what they thought they wanted, without actually stopping to think about what it was they really wanted to pursue. Money, which begets social status, which begets a certain way of life whether one wanted it or not quintessentially is the primary theme of “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.” Ivan’s life was in its purest form as a young lad. But at the same time his mind was being corrupted by the lifestyles of his father and older sibling who was a realist to the “T.” His family’s mindless pursuit of wealth and the glorifications that accompany it eventually overtook his mind as well. His constant pursuit of the higher-level positions and his idolistic perceptions of the people who held them led to his inevitable demise. His economic status, as earlier mentioned, begot his newly acquired social status after his move. Along with this social status came the initial confrontation with a woman who would become his wife. They would conceive many children of which two would survive. After constant quarrels with his wife during her pregnancies Ivan would consume himself ultimately in his work. As he is decorating his newly acquired house, Ivan has an accident that would prove to be fatal. This incident marks a downhill slide in Ivan’s life. His body begins to limit the things that he is capable of accomplishing independently thus marking the biological aspect of realism. Ivan’s peers look at is illness as something that would just free up another position once he dies. Before Ivan’s suffering, he would have presumably felt the same way. During Ivan’s suffering he begins to have firm realizations that he didn’t live his life right and begins to pity the people who are following closely in his steps. He begins to have a strong hatred towards his wife because she portrays the characteristics of the kind of person he used to be. (I’m not exactly sure that he realized this though.) He began to see his life played out through the actions of his peers. He realizes that his constant struggle for money and supposed need to belong to a certain hierarchy of fellowship was all in vane. He didn’t accomplish anything in life that he really wanted to do, he became a follower and not a leader. At the time of his last breath he looks at his son and realizes that someone he has left behind actually has a chance to stray from the plague of the lifestyle that he has brought upon himself. Ivan Ilych dies in peace and with the knowledge to live another life should he ever get the chance.