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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. Who comes to visit Ivan Ilych in Chapter 5?

2. Is Ivan Ilych successful in understanding this?

3. Why is Ivan Ilych able to find a new home that will please both him and his wife?

4. Who is the main character?

5. What is the conflict in Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Ivan so upset that he didn't get the promotion?

2. Examine the irony in Chapter 8.

3. Why do you think Ivan has more difficulty avoiding the thought of his death at work?

4. Why do Ivan's memories of the past make him feel the way they do?

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

6. What explanation does Ivan come up with to explain why his past memories make him feel the way they do?

7. Explain the mood in Chapter 6.

8. Ivan's realization about himself in Chapter 11prompts him to discover something about himself. What does he discover and how does it affect him?

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

10. Why does Ivan fall into a profound depression?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Ivan deal with life when it becomes disagreeable? Why does his method of dealing with life in this way ultimately fail?

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

Why would Tolstoy choose "The Death of Ivan Ilych" as the title if he writes about Ivan's life? Is Tolstoy writing about more than just Ivan's physical death in the novel? How so?

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