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Ivan Ilyich Foil

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In Tolstoy’s work, “The Death of Ivan Ilyich,” the character Gerasim functions as a foil to Ivan Ilyich in the wake of his illness. Gerasim’s kindness and care towards Ivan greatly shames Ivan’s selfish character. Tolstoy also uses Gerasim and Ivan to outline the differences in values between the lower class and middle class to display that the more one has the more selfish he may be. Gerasim acts as a foil to Ivan Ilyich, always assisting him whenever necessary; “of course I can” is the response he’d give Ivan, displaying his compassion towards his employer. The unselfish thinking Gerasim presents to his employer is something Ivan never displayed to anyone in his life. This simple difference between Gerasim and Ivan reveals a deeper meaning

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