The Death of Ivan Ilych – A Modern Tale In the short story “The Death of Ivan Ilych,” written by Leo Tolstoy, the reader meets Ivan Ilych. Ivan leads a shallow life, never venturing outside his societal boundaries. Ivan is an unfeeling attorney who treats people of lower station with kindly disdain. Ivan systematically seeks to join the higher echelons of society, at the expense of all real emotion. Finally, at death’s door, Ivan sees …showed first 75 words of 703 total…

…showed last 75 words of 703 total…Finally, the falsity of his friends becomes clear with the death announcement to Ivan’s colleagues. “…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” (1286). The story exemplifies how this society, whose values he so cherished, cruelly abandons Ivan in his darkest hour. The true compassion of genuine friends and loving family must never be taken for granted.