Although Ivan Ilyich, the protagonist of the story, is already dead in the first chapter, the rest of the plot covers Ivan Ilyich’s life from childhood to the moment of his death.

Ivan Ilyich goes through life expecting a logical series of predicted, calculated events to lead to professional success and personal satisfaction. He enjoys the ambition of his work and the vanity of social pleasures, while eschewing emotional connection to friends or family.

On paper, his life looks like a success: Ivan Ilyich attends law school, marries well, has a family and a fine home, and eventually becomes a judge. However, Ivan Ilyich takes a distanced attitude toward his family and keeps a professional relationship with colleagues. He dismisses his wife’s agony at the death of three of their children, characterizing her as a constant source of annoyance and frustration. He also ignores his two living kids, avoiding interacting with them in favor or work or playing cards at his club.

As he dies, however, Ivan Ilyich starts questioning whether he has lived a good life. He realizes that in always prioritizing surface propriety and outward appearances, he has lived an empty, unfulfilling existence. In his final hours, he reaches out to his son Vasya, finally experiencing the human connection he’s resisted throughout his adult life.