Question

What theme is portrayed in this excerpt from Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich? In reality it was just what is usually seen in the houses of people of moderate means who want to appear rich, and therefore succeed only in resembling others like themselves: there are damasks, dark wood, plants, rugs, and dull and polished bronzes—all the things people of a certain class have in order to resemble other people of that class. His house was so like the others that it would never have been noticed, but to him it all seemed to be quite exceptional. He was very happy when he met his family at the station and brought them to the newly furnished house all lit up, where a footman in a white tie opened the door into the hall decorated with plants, and when they went on into the drawing-room and the study uttering exclamations of delight. He conducted them everywhere, drank in their praises eagerly, and beamed with pleasure.

Answer 1

The pretension of Bourgeois conformism is one theme. Ivan Llytch has only one goal in life: to join the upper class. As a mid-level judicial official, he tries to emulate people of higher social stations with objects that resemble their but which are pale copies since his means are not the same and he cannot afford to buy exactly the same objects. In other words, these symbols of wealth and power are as superficial as his aspirations.

The other theme is authenticity; Ivan Llytch is presenting people a facade of wealth and power that he does not have. He is certainly a middle class individual but he is not rich. He lacks the necessary authenticity to be proud of who he is in his own merit and thinks that only by being a copy of another social group he has some value for society.

Answer 2

The themes that are being discussed here are:

1) Things are not always what they seem

2) People try to appear better and more affluent than they actually are.