Through the use of inference, the novella, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, is a condemnation of the superficial values in bourgeois relationships, as demonstrated by the character's actions and thoughts.
In the novella, “The Death Of Ivan Ilyich” Peter was a fake to Ivan because he does not do or say what he thinks and he just keeps the relationship because Ivan has a lot of money and status. Peter just thinks about his own benefit when he does and says other things to mask it. Some examples are when Peter gives the most importance to his sleep than to his 'friend ' Ivan in the passage, as seen in, “Having told his wife at dinnertime of Ivan Ilyich's death, and of his conjecture that it might be possible to get her brother transferred to their circuit, Peter Ivanovich sacrificed his usual nap, put on his evening clothes and drove to Ivan Ilyich's house.” Another example is when Peter uses a “sad” situation that occurs to him to beneficiate himself in the passage, and thinks, 'Now I must apply for my brother-in-law's transfer from Kaluga,' thought Peter Ivanovich. 'My wife will be very glad, and then she won't be able to say that I never do anything for her relations, 'while saying, 'I thought he would never leave, his bed again,' said Peter Ivanovich aloud. 'It's very sad.' These examples show that Peter thinks of himself and behaves in another way to appear correct in society.
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The life of Ivan Ilyich was very fake. His wife Praskovia did not care about her feelings or her husband's health. Praskovia did not care about Ivan Ilyich, she just married Ivan because he had a lot of money and status. We can see this in this passage of the text: “She again took out her handkerchief as if preparing to cry, but suddenly, as if mastering her feeling, she shook herself and began to speak calmly,” as this shows that her feelings are not real, but a theatre for society.
His dorter, Lisa thought that her father destroyed her life and that’s why she was angry with him. We can verify it in the passage: “'Is it our fault?' Lisa said to her mother. 'It's as if we were to blame! I am sorry for papa, but why should we be tortured?' In conclusion, it is clear from these examples that Ivan Ilyich’s family is very distant in their relationship, and that it is just a show for society.
In contrast, Gerasim is a character who is not superficial or false in his behavior. We discern it in this fragment of the text:
In the story “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” Leo Tolstoy shows us in the story that we have to don’t be fake, we need to have true values and valorize us sincere relationships, because relationships based on economic and social interests are rotten and can be easily corrupted and then destroyed, already the true relationships are strong and only a great catastrophe can destroy them.
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