Tolstoy

Ivan Ilyich has done nothing that would help him be termed as a noble. He is just a common man, but nevertheless, he does assume tremendous importance as an interesting literary figure on account of the experience he undergoes due to his sufferings prior to his death. His death in many ways is very similar to conditions that common human beings suffer in life, but he elates his character above that of the common men by having realized the uselessness of the life he lived before his death. This realization makes him rise above the common man. This is because common men are found avoiding the reality of death. They do not make the required efforts that would help them make their lives worthwhile and memorable. Ilyich by having realized the reality of death and the uselessness of his own life has managed to elate himself above the other common people and this makes his death and sufferings different than the condition of other human beings who mostly remain unaware of this important fact of life (Jahn, 1993).
The death of the protagonist comes out to be a long way away from speaking to the condition of all human beings. Through his death, the readers are able to view, observe and understand a person who has been wasting his life and was incapable of admitting one of the main real fact of life; death. His death rather than speaking for the common men make it explicitly clear that the way we are living our live is of paramount importance. The protagonist’s death is more of an attack on the middle class people and their satisfaction in living artificial lives that avoids accepting the reality of death (Jahn, 1993).
Though a number of themes have been highlighted in this short story, the central theme that carries the greatest significance is that of the need to live a good life and accept death as a reality. The writer wanted to convey his idea that by leading a simpler life, a man could remain happy. However, he dissociates from speaking generally when he elucidates the death of Ilyich through which he attacks the hypocritical morals that the upper-middle class people tend to follow and the worthless lives they are living. Through the manner in which he portrays the death of Ivan, the writer has not spoken on the condition of all human beings but rather has allotted a unique ending role to the protagonist who has elated himself above the common people. We see that when Ilyich dies, his family and friends are not grieved in any way but they rather come to be distracted by thoughts of greed and personal gain. The writer depict this clearly not because it suggests any thing evil in their character, but because they have failed to realize what Ivan realized as he died (Lichterman, 2008).
Therefore, as the story ends, it becomes evident that the death of Ivan carried a different note and was very much different than the other human beings who die a meaningless and pointless death. Ivan through his realization about life and death dies in a manner that rather criticizes the ignorant attitude of the common people whether they are from the upper-middle class or the middle class. It in no way speaks for all the human beings, but instead criticizes the attitude of the majority of the people. References

Jahn, G. R. (1993). The death of Ivan Ilich: An interpretation. New York: Twayne Publishers. Pp 22-25. http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=vKjL0ozys9AC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.
Lichterman, B. (2008). The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy. BMJ: British Medical Journal, Vol. 337, No. 7678. p. 1117. http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/stable/20511279?&Search=yes&searchText=Tolstoy&searchText=Leo&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D%2BLeo%2BTolstoy%26Search%3DSearch%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DThe%2BDeath%2Bof%2BIvan%2BIlyich%26hp%3D25%26acc%3Don%26aori%3Da%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff&prevSearch=&item=3&ttl=767&returnArticleService=showFullText