The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

Understanding oneself is as universal question for humanity as why we are here and where do we come from. This universal question is so prominent that it even underpins itself deep into literature itself, with many novels featuring characters on personal quests of self-realization. These quests for self-realization are portrayed in numerous forms. In Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe takes off on an overseas journey in order to discover himself. In Leo Tolstoy’s novel The death of Ivan Ilyich, Ivan Ilyich’s quest for self-realization begins initially as an attempt to achieve a high social status, wealth, and other aspects of life that society deems admirable. In Albert Camus’s the fall, Jean-Baptiste Clamence believes he has gained

Ilyich deems that one’s self worth can be determined by how respected a member of society you are. Because of this, his sole focus in life is on improving his social status and obtaining wealth in order to be viewed as this highly respected member of society. This strict structure, however, only leads him to a life surrounded with artificiality and materialism; it is ironic that the materialistic act of hanging up curtains also is the cause of Ilyich’s death. Only after Ilyich learns of his impending death is he able to fully take a step back and evaluate his life. “[he] saw clearly that it was not real at all, but a terrible and huge deception which had hidden both life and death. This consciousness intensified his physical suffering tenfold.”(Tolstoy 11.14) He learns that the true meaning of life is an authentic life marked by compassion and sympathy, not the artificial life he had been living full of self-interest. It is only after he makes this conclusion that his quest for self-realization is truly

This illusion is very similar to that of Robinson Crusoe who initially believed that it was in his moral encompass to kill the savages for their moral injustices. Clamence’s belief that his morals were the perfect display for others to follow, however, is removed from his own view when one night he was walking on a crossing bridge over the Seine River and passed a Woman who shortly after fell into the water below. Rather than turn around to save her, Jean-Baptiste did nothing because he did not want to endanger his own life and decided to let this woman drown. It is only after Jean-Baptiste realizes his own hypocrisy that he begins to truly gain self-realization. Jean-Baptiste realized that what at first he considered acts displaying his high moral character, such as helping the blind cross the street or defending Widows and Orphans as a lawyer were merely selfish acts to appease his own ego. Only after Jean-Baptiste realized his own hypocrisy was he able to discover his true path to gain self-realization; this method is through his practice of being a judge-penitent, confessing his own sins so he has the right to judge you as