The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories · Character
Pahóm
A peasant who keeps buying more land than he can use, convinced that a little more will finally make him safe from want and from the devil.
major
First appearance: How Much Land Does a Man Need?
As a major figure in The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories, Pahóm is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The central peasant whose greed for land is stoked by the sisters' argument.
Pahóm begins as a hardworking peasant with enough, yet every improvement only sharpens his hunger for more acres and more security. He buys, sells, and migrates in pursuit of land, brushing aside his wife's warning that greed has already cost them once. When he hears of cheap fertile land among the Bashkirs, he sees the chance of a lifetime, and the story's quiet bargain begins to tighten around his restless desire.
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Character Web
28 connectionsA slice of how Pahóm sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Moral Seekers and Tempters
- Peasants and Masters
- Diverse Character Assortment
+23 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak is Esarhaddon's shocking, direct confrontation with the truth that he and his victim are on…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingIn the story
Pahóm appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Pahóm unlock in the free preview.
See Pahóm in How Much Land Does a Man Need?