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

Short Answer Questions

1. Of what does Ivan's wife try to convince him?

2. Where does Ivan live in his thoughts?

3. How bad are the affects of these medicines?

4. What does Ivan find once he feels he is pushed through the hole?

5. In Chapter 11, what does Ivan do at his wife's suggestion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the form that foreshadowing takes in "The Death of Ivan Ilych." How is the foreshadowing accomplished? Is the foreshadowing subtle or obvious?

Essay Topic 3

Is there a reason Tolstoy does not give a name to Ivan's disease? How does the unnamed disease relate to the central themes? Why would Tolstoy not name the disease that kills Ivan?

(see the answer keys)

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