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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens to Ivan Ilych one day as he is adjusting a curtain?

2. After seeing himself in the mirror, what does Ivan Ilych finally admit to himself?

3. When does Ivan Ilych's pain worsen?

4. Who is the first character introduced in Chapter 5?

5. How old is Ivan Ilych's son?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the opium affect Ivan?

2. What is the conflict that Ivan experiences in Chapter 8?

3. When could Ivan have changed his idea of the "good life" in Chapter 4?

4. What is Ivan's feeling of suffocation symbolize in Chapter 12?

5. Describe Gerasim.

6. What is the climax, or turning point, in "The Death of Ivan Ilych?"

7. Identify the crisis for Ivan in Chapter 5.

8. Is the author's definition of the "good life" the same as that of Ivan and his wife? Support your answer.

9. How does Gerasim view death?

10. Examine the irony in Chapter 8.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is 19th century Russia presented in "The Death of Ivan Ilych?" Be certain to support your claims by using text from the novel as well as independent sources that describe 19th century Russia.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Ivan and Gerasim. What is the relationship and/or purpose of these two characters, specifically, in this novel?

Essay Topic 3

How does Ivan's family deal with his suffering and death? Do they learn anything from this experience? If so, what?

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