I like this quote from the introduction: "The metaphor of infection has a quality of physical closeness, even of violation, about it: infection does not ask for the consent of the infected." I feel like this could be applied to both physical illness and the sort of existentialism that Tolstoy experienced and shows in his writing.

A small note but I'm enjoying how the characters thoughts are told in quotes alongside what they actually say in the conversation. There's a distinct difference from quoted thought and thoughts given in to us in the descriptive text.

The descriptions are so human! I can clearly picture the exact motions every character seems to be making. They're small details but make for bigger impact.

The unnecessary attention on the "pouf" makes this scene hilarious and awkward. I think it also draws attention to the attitude behind Praskovya's personality and betrays her true intentions

I probably shouldn't like Praskovya as much but I think her character's mannerisms are so comedically described I can't help it. "(these details Pyotr Ivanovich learned only by the effect of Ivan Ilyich's sufferings on Praskovya Fyodorovna's nerves)" immediately followed by "the widow evidently found it necessary to proceed to business" made me laugh out loud

I wonder why his kids seem so mad at Pyotr? Maybe they feel embarrassment for the situation (sort of like their mother) and are projecting that outwards into anger instead?

II

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not quite sure what "acts of great vileness" in law school could refer to. Cheating? I also think the engraving on the watch could be foreshadowing to the focus on his death. "Look to the end"

"comme il faut" = proper/properly

I love the information we see not directly in scene. This would mostly be seen as like an information dump so we can get a sense of the character's background, but it's written so well that it doesn't read awkwardly and continues with the natural flow of the story.

"that character of life - easy, pleasant, merry, and always decent and approved of society - which Ivan Ilyich considered the very essence of life." I find this quote really interesting because it shows Ivan Ilyich's values. He's a rule follower and people pleaser.

I find it ironic that Ivan Ilyich is interpreting his wife's behaviors as erratic and annoying in his life as if they are purely her fault. Mentioned in the pages before, he did not marry her out of immediate love, it was clear that she was infatuated by him, but more of convenience since he thought he was at a point in his time where young men like him would be getting married. Although this perspective is told from Ivan's, I can somehow sympathize with his wife in this passage especially knowing that this was early marriage.

III Ivan Ilyich mentions that he feels abandoned by his friends and family. Realistically I think he means that this is the first time he's having to establish his own life without constant reassurance or assistance from others, so this is funny to me that he thinks the position he's in is not normal and he needs immediate change. This seems like the first sign of depression when it comes to getting older.

**Side note: I love how this book is physically made because I can flip to the exact last page to see all the footnotes on one page. It's making reading through this a breeze! **

There's just something so euphoric about rearranging your room/house. I thought it was just me but I guess it applies in other people's lives too haha

"But Ivan Ilyich's real pleasure was in little dinners, to which he invited ladies and gentlemen of important social position and passed the time with them similarly to the way such people usually pass the time, just as his drawing room was similar to all other drawing rooms." I love this quote because it again shows that extroverted side that Ivan relies on.

IV

Now the view has switched to project Ivan as more of a nag than his wife because of this illness. I can understand the frustration from both sides, especially if Ivan is in a lot of pain. At the bottom of this page, I love how the doctor is describing the specifics of the examination while also using vague terms for the reader. I think this is genius because the reader's job isn't to give Ivan a diagnosis but to learn that there is one to some extent.

I love the comparisons of the doctor and judge terminology.

Interesting that the pain from this illness only appears when he has experienced an unpleasantness within his daily life. Examples include when his wife annoys him, a setback at work, or when he's played a bad hand at cards. This makes me feel like the illness is more mental than physical although described in physical symptoms. These unpleasantries correlate to Ivan's perspective of the perfect life in pg. 13 Perhaps since Ivan tried to but what it means to have a perfect life in a box, he reacts physically when something does not fit in that box.

V