Tolstoy uses The Death of Ivan Ilyich to show his readers the negative consequences of living like Ilyich. Ivan Ilyich made decisions based on what others thought and what would benefit him financially. As death approaches, Ilyich realizes that he has wasted everything that was pure and meaningful in order to work and earn money. His materialism and desire to conform made Ilyich's life miserable and led to his demise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay From the beginning of the story, it is clear that Ilyich did not live a full and rich life. When his friends learn of his death, they worry more about "the effect it would have on their own transfers and promotions or those of their acquaintances" (Tolstoy 32) than about the loss of their friend. Ilyich failed to establish close relations with them, and after learning of his death, they seem almost indifferent: “There is, in fact, no reason to suppose that this incident could prevent us from having a pleasant evening” (36), we note. They attend funerals only “to satisfy the tedious demands of propriety” (33). Even before the reader learns how Ilyich lived her life, she realizes that the consequences are dark. Geraism, Ilyitch's servant, serves as a foil. Even though Geraism is of a lower class than Ilyich, he is happy and knows what he wants; moreover, he is not burdened by the pressures of materialism. Ilyich admires Geraism because he “[does] everything easily, willingly, simply, and out of the goodness of his heart” (86) and, in the end, he is the only person whose company he enjoys. Unlike Ilyich, who married Praskovia only because "high-ranking" people thought she was a good choice (56), Geraism is free from society's expectations and can do whatever it wants. While Ilyich dies at age 45, Geraism lives to a ripe old age, suggesting that an unhappy and burdensome life leads to an early grave. One of Ivan's main faults is his materialism and his insistence on work. To illustrate his obsession with material things, he installs curtains in his new apartment to make the place look like "the house of all the people who aren't really rich but want to appear rich" (57). As for work, Tolstoy states that Ilyich sought money and fame "by spending less and less time with his family, and when he was forced to stay at home, he tried to save his position through the presence of strangers” (52). Neglecting one's family ultimately resulted in serious alienation. He recognizes his fall to a certain level at the end of his life, admitting that "maybe I didn't live as I should have", but immediately returns to the denial of self-protection because "he immediately remembers how okay his whole life had been. summer" (102). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay. Tolstoy used The Death of Ivan Ilyich to show that social conformity, materialism and single-minded focus on work lead to unhappiness and isolation Although it is not an uplifting novel, Tolstoy's work benefits its readers: they conclude l. story with a greater appreciation of the need to live an honest and balanced life..