The gap between inner reality and outer appeareance in Leo Tolstoy’s the death of Ivan Ilych

ABSTRACT

This study specifically discuss about The Gap between Inner Reality and Outer Appearance of main character in Leo Tolstoy’s novel “The Death of Ivan Iiych”. The main Character that the researcher discusses about is Ivan Ilych. Ivan Ilych is the middle son of a bureaucrat. He attends the School of Law. He is unquestioningly admiring of those in high station, and seeks to imitate them however he can. After law school he qualifies for a position in the civil service. One day, when draping hangings, he slips and bumps his side. The pain goes away before long. Iván Ilych finally recognizes that the way he has lived his life has been hypocritical and empty.

This study purposes some statements of problems and they are: 1. what gap that between inner reality and outer appearance does Ivan Ilych undergo in the Death of Ivan Ilych? 2. How is the gap viewed from the social psychology? Therefore, this study only purposes the Gap that happen into the main character in the The Death of Ivan Ilych written by Leo Tolstoy. Other objects that involve in the novel are by no means discussed significantly and become the supporting ones.

Based on the result and discussion of the data, it can be concluded that the Gap between Inner Reality and Outer Appearance that found in Leo Tolstoy’s Novel The Death of Ivan Ilych describe that Ivan cannot differentiate what is the meaning of life and his life full of lie and Ivan also deny the natural process of life, his ambition to be the best one make him become forget to the real life that he had and find himself confuse in solving his life problem and it’s take a long time till the last day of his life to be aware what is really the meaning of life in global and the meaning of death itself.

The researcher hopes that this study will be able to contribute in finding some information to the study of literature in generally and finding some information about the Russian novel and also the author of the novel. Besides that, this study also expected as an alternative scientific material for further study about the Gap of the main character how it’s showed and applied in the novel.

The researcher hopes that this study can give a contribution for the readers, especially the students who are interested in Psychological theory. Furthermore, it is hoped for further researchers to conduct similar topic of this study, which not only focuses on main character but also on the other aspect of literary work.