“It’s not a question of appendix or kidney but of life and death. Yes, life was there and now it is going, going and I cannot stop it. Yes. Why deceive myself? Isn’t it obvious to everyone but me that I’m dying, and that it’s only a question of weeks, days” (762). I think this quote portrays a lot of the central themes in “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”; morality, suffering, and family are all represented in this one quote.

Before becoming sick Ivan ignored his own morality, just like his friends around him. He slept around, and did whatever he wanted; he thought that nothing could hurt him. However, death changes everything for him, and there is nothing he can do now. It makes him reevaluate his whole life, everything that mattered before, now doesn’t. After he realizes that he is dying he doesn’t care what people think of him. “Life was there and now it is going, going and I cannot stop it.” This shows how his past actions, are the reasons that he is going through this. His morality plays a big role in the story.

The theme of suffering is apparent as soon as Ivan figures out that he is dying. He suffers from fear, hopelessness and loss of dignity. Ivan is forced to suffer in the story because of the actions he committed while he was healthy. He never appreciated his life, he only cared about what others thought of him. “And that it’s only a question of weeks, days.” Ivan is terrified of dying, but he has to accept it. However, at the end of the story suffering is what ultimately leads Ivan realize that his whole life was false. He only thought that his life was good because others did. His career, his family, his marriage were all false; he only cared about showing off.

The idea of family is extremely dysfunctional throughout the story. No one seems to understand what Ivan is actually going though, and how he can die at any moment. “Isn’t obvious to everyone but me that I’m dying.” His relationship with his wife is extremely superficial, he seems to hate her more and more as he gets closer to dying. “While she was kissing him he hated her from the bottom of his soul” (763). However, we as the reader have to wonder how much of the alienation from his family is caused by them, and how much is caused by his own dislike of them. We can’t blame one person for the dysfunctional family. Earlier in the story we knew that Ivan didn’t really want to marry his wife, he just did it. Did Ivan ever really love his family? Or was it all a show for people around him to see? We also know that he hates his son who he regards as a “failure.” The concept of family is extremely important throughout the story, but who is to blame for the hatred?