In “The Death of Ivan Ilych”, the character Schwartz is shown as the cool character. I think Schwartz is a nonchalant, smiling type person because he doesn’t seem to care much about Ivan Ilych’s death but rather, his status. The way Peter Ivanovich had describe Schwartz when entering in the hall (for Ivan Ilych’s death), that he had “wink” at him as to say “Ivan Ilych has made a mess of things -- not like you and me” shows how Schwartz is careful, and smart with what he is doing. Schwartz seems to be calm about everything on the outside appearance as the characters describe him. Even though it’s the death of his colleague, he didn’t show sadness as much as he would have but always have the elegance of everything. I think he’s a character that shows the strength of blocking off sadness/depressing events and tries to be on the surface of happiness. But I’m not too sure how he thinks in the inside which makes his character cool because he has the element of mysteriousness.
I think Schwartz is a character that is almost like Ivan Ilych. Both he and Ilych are trying to become wealthy by getting to the top of the status. But unlike Ilych, Schwartz plays it more carefully, like on a check board, where the player has to safely lead the king to victory. I think the nonchalant comes from the confident of his, that if he can play it smoothly, there’s no need to think about the sad stuff. During the funeral service of Ilych, Schwartz was display as: “The mere sight of that playful, well-groomed, and elegant figure refreshed Peter Ivanovich. He felt that Schwartz was above all these happenings and would not surrender to any depressing influences”. I think in our society, a person has to look cool with their well grooming or a sense of style and always has a sense of playfulness to get people to be near them; for people to like them.
From Peter Ivanovich perspective, he said Schwartz “would not surrender to any depressing influences” shows the similarity between Ilych and Schwartz. Both of them tries to block away the negativity by smiling and by getting their goals, they would be happy. But there is a difference between Schwartz and Ilych and that is Ilych died first. And with Schwartz calm attitude and giving smiling faces for others, it shows the attention that Schwartz is trying to get. If he can get lots of attention, then the position of Ilych or higher status can be his. I think Schwartz's cool character is a general similarity to the ones in our society because we want fame, money and value in our lives. I'm not sure but it seems like Schwartz is pretending to be a jovial person, almost like Ilych because Ilych is following what the society wants him to do. Though I think Schwartz has a more internal problems than the one Ilych is characterize on. This I think makes Schwartz cooler than Ilych is because Schwartz, at least has a motivation (from my feelings towards the story) and Ilych, who is going by his life using society rules.
Schwartz's mind of thinking is also a characteristic of cool because people cannot really tell what he is thinking, which makes the people want to find out. For example, when Praskovya Fedorovna comes to tell Schwartz and Peter that the funeral service is about to begin, Schwartz made an “indefinite bow, stood still, evidently neither accepting nor declining this invitation”. Even though he bowed, Schwartz didn't move. It's as if he's waiting for something or maybe he's waiting for everyone to go in first, which is politeness. When reading this, I thought of many possibilities as to what he was doing, not going into the room for the funeral services. Is he thinking up of some plans regarding Ilych's status or is he being serious/polite towards the wife? The way he acted suggests the want of knowing what's going on in his head, which allows people to come towards him. People get curious when they don't know about others' mind and with a “slim figure” and a jolly guy like Schwartz, it makes his cool status more popular.
Additionally, when the narrator starts to talk about Ilynch's past, the narrator said Ilych finds Schwartz “jocularity, vivacity, and *savior-faire* irritating because Schwartz “reminded” Ilych of “himself”. That leads me to think would Schwartz's cool character disappear similar to how Ilych has destroyed himself? Is Schwartz's character like that, to be a cool person, to show the society of what he can do, to make other recognize him, because he wants money or he wanted a sense of value? If I put Ilych's case with Schwartz, it seems that's how people would lead to their deaths because they are not facing their negative obstacles and instead replaced with a fake face?
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