"Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible"
This would mean that Ivan was just a typical average Joe. He studied hard to attend law school. He only married just because he had to fit in with the norm of the society. He had a mid-life crisis with his wife that caused him to stay further away from her with the excused of working. Because he spend more time at work then at home, he was able to get promotion and eventually became a judge. All of these characteristics were simple but terrible in some ways. He did things base on what he believed others wanted him to do, not from what he wanted to do. Thus, he lived a misery life that in the end he had to question whether he had done any wrongdoings. If he had accomplished all the things that he wanted to, then he would not have to be hesitated to face death. In the end, his life was most terrible because he lived for others and not for himself.
This would mean that Ivan was just a typical average Joe. He studied hard to attend law school. He only married just because he had to fit in with the norm of the society. He had a mid-life crisis with his wife that caused him to stay further away from her with the excused of working. Because he spend more time at work then at home, he was able to get promotion and eventually became a judge. All of these characteristics were simple but terrible in some ways. He did things base on what he believed others wanted him to do, not from what he wanted to do. Thus, he lived a misery life that in the end he had to question whether he had done any wrongdoings. If he had accomplished all the things that he wanted to, then he would not have to be hesitated to face death. In the end, his life was most terrible because he lived for others and not for himself.
That is correct that he did enter into a mid-life crisis and was this average Joe type of character. He did exactly what he was expected to do, no actual motivation took place. The simplicity of his life is saddening, but I have to ask what would someone do to get out of such a situation? How could they avoid falling into the easy track to just get by in life, because I feel like a lot of people do this?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you are saying. Let us ponder the point though, and relate it back to us. Have we ever felt in our lives that we are doing something for someone else? Like going to college for our parents and getting the degree that they want us to get. How truly different are we then our good friend Ivan Ilych?
ReplyDeleteMany people that have spent their lived doing what they want to do hesitate when facing death. If he had completed his dream of skydiving, he still would have been hesitant when facing death.
ReplyDelete