Question

Which sentence in this excerpt from Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich shows that Ivan Ilyich’s daughter, Lisa, does not empathize with her father’s suffering? She began to remind him of his medicines, but he turned his eyes towards her with such a look that she did not finish what she was saying; so great an animosity, to her in particular, did that look express. "For Christ's sake let me die in peace!" he said. She would have gone away, but just then their daughter came in and went up to say good morning. He looked at her as he had done at his wife, and in reply to her inquiry about his health said dryly that he would soon free them all of himself. They were both silent and after sitting with him for a while went away. "Is it our fault?" Lisa said to her mother. "It's as if we were to blame! I am sorry for papa, but why should we be tortured?" The doctor came at his usual time. Ivan Ilyich answered "Yes" and "No," never taking his angry eyes from him, and at last said: "You know you can do nothing for me, so leave me alone."

Answer 1

The answer is "It's as if we were to blame! I am sorry for papa, but why should we be tortured?"

Explanation:

In the excerpt, the interaction between Ivan Ilyich and her daughter is illustrated. About this, it can be said at the beginning of the excerpt, the daughter shows compassion and empathy because she helps him with the medicine "She began to remind him of his medicines" and even asks how he feels. However, due to the harsh actions of Ivan, at the end, the daughter changes her attitude and shows a lack of sympathy as she says "It's as if we were to blame! I am sorry for papa, but why should we be tortured?", which shows she is upset about her father being sick and tired of all the situation, and therefore does not feel compassion or empathy.