Reading Notes W 11: Tolstoy, Part A

The story "The Death Of Ivan Ilyich" by the author Leo Tolstoy, is a story about Ivan Ilyich. It starts out at the end of the story were they announced that Ivan has died then it goes back and tells the story of his life before he died. It does mention Peter Ivanovich who was Ivan best friend and shows how he is dealing with his death, when all he can think about is promotions and transfers. When the story tells Ivan life it starts 30 years into the past. Around the age of thirteen he attends the School of Law which later on Ivan becomes an examining magistrate. Ivan marries a women named Praskovya and then things change when she becomes pregnant. Praskovya's behavior begins to disrupt the proper and quiet lifestyle  Ivan cherished so decided to spends more time in his official work and distances himself from his family. Time passes and Ivan moves up in his work due to hard work. He expects to be awarded the post of presiding judge in a University town, but he was not chosen for the promotion. Due to his anger he decides to leave work and move his family to his brother in law house in the country. Ivan decides to look for a new higher paying job in to St. Petersburg. He learns that due to a change in the administration of the Ministry of Justice, a close friend has landed a position of great authority. So because of this  Ivan is awarded a higher paying position in the city. Life is going for him until he has an ascendant which leaves him with discomfort in his left side and an unusual taste in his mouth. As time passes by he gets more and more sick due to this he starts to look back on his life and the decisions he has made. As he looks closer at his life Ivan realizes that the further back he looks the more joy there is. As the pain worsen he has came to the conclusion that he is dying while everyone around expect his son think he is just sick. He also has these dreams which you could say symbolizes him struggling to live and then passes on.