Mid Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Mid Term - Essay Example 2. The novel is a book written in prose where the writer tries to sketch a picture of ordinary life. The novella is considered a shorter piece of prose, also referred to as a short novel. The difference between them is not the content which can range from the different genres of fiction: romance or history, but the size of the work. Thus, both the novel and novella seek to present a prose piece of work that is different only in its size. 3. Tolstoy presents his character in a light that is despicable for the reader. This character sketch can only be drawn because of the sequential turn of events in Ivan Ilych’s life. The momentum set up by the writer is vital in achieving the true goal of the story: a revelation into the life of Ivan Ilych. Had the story been written differently with the colleagues and wake scene being given last the epiphany that is reveal too Ivan would have been lost. The story allows for the reader to better understand the character’s change in opinion about life. 4. The suspense of the novel originates from the reader’s desire to better understand the reason behind Ivan’s death. As the story continues the reader notices the suffering in Ilych’s life. While the character had to understand his life’s failures now it’s coupled with physical pain which worsens with his loneliness and hatred. The suspense is created with because of the beginning which makes the reader wonder: will Ivan reconcile with his death or will the story end happily. 5. An instance of the torment Ivan puts his family through is evident in his widow’s description of his last days â€Å"He screamed unceasingly†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Oh what I have suffered!† A grieving widow should remember the good qualities instead she chooses to remember the relentless nights she suffered with her husband’s illness. Peter Ivanovich on the other hand is mortified by the idea of death itself â€Å"death was an accident natural to Ivan Ilych but certainly not to