Question

50 POINTS
What does this excerpt from Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich suggest about how Peter Ivanovich reacts in emotional situations?

Praskovya Fedorovna recognizing Peter Ivanovich, sighed, went close up to him, took his hand, and said: "I know you were a true friend to Ivan Ilyich..." and looked at him awaiting some suitable response. And Peter Ivanovich knew that, just as it had been the right thing to cross himself in that room, so what he had to do here was to press her hand, sigh, and say, "Believe me . . ." So he did all this and as he did it felt that the desired result had been achieved: that both he and she were touched.



1. He reacts in a purely emotional way.



2. He reacts in an illogical, terrified way.



3. He reacts in a socially appropriate way.



4. He reacts in a dramatic way.



5.He reacts in a thoughtless way.

Answer 1

Answer: 3. He reacts in a socially appropriate way.

In this excerpt, we learn that Peter Ivanovich tends to react in socially appropriate ways to emotional situations. The author tells us that Peter Ivanovich knew "what the right thing to do was." He also tells us that the actions he took were intended to achieve a particular result. At no point in the story does it seem like Peter Ivanovich took a step out of emotion, or acted spontaneous in any way. Instead, he acted the way he believed was socially appropriate to act.