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

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Ivan's wife enter his room in Chapter 11?

2. What does Ivan realize in Chapter 7?

3. Why does Ivan say his mental pain is worse?

4. In Chapter 11, what does his awareness about his deceptions cause Ivan to do?

5. Others see Ivan twitch and gasp for two more hours, but Ivan experiences what?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Explain and support how "The Death of Ivan Ilych" can change a reader's ideas about how to live. Look at the theme of the novel to answer the question. How has Ivan lived? Does Tolstoy's writing endorse Ivan's way of life? Does the tone of Tolstoy's writing warn against the way Ivan has lived?

Essay Topic 3

What point-of-view does Tolstoy use in writing "The Death of Ivan Ilych?" Why does this point-of-view better serve Tolstoy's purpose(s) for writing the novel? How does this point-of-view get Tolstoy's themes across? What tone comes from Tolstoy using this point-of-view?

(see the answer keys)

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