Was this vicarious atonement, or subconscious shadow work?

5-7 pages + Works Cited page
MLA format 8th or 9th edition
The Critical approach is Biographical
I am trying to show how Leo Tolstoy portrays his own life through the life of Ivan Ilyich i.e. his horrible relationship with his wife,(real wife’s journals tell of a very strained and unhappy marriage) his disconnect from his children, their lives lived always wanting to be acceptable by the standards of society. Also how at the end of Ivan’s life he has a moment of clarity and forgives himself for living the life he “ought to” have, instead of the life he now realizes that he actually should have had, and how this moment is one that Tolstoy desires to have on his own deathbed.
The title I have written is;
“Living through his work?: A comparison of the life of Leo Tolstoy with that of his most iconic character, Ivan Ilyich.”
The thesis statement I wrote is;
“The works of Leo Tolstoy reflected his own life. Was this vicarious atonement, or subconscious shadow work?
I hope this information helps to explain where I am trying to go with this paper, what I am trying to express.
My header information is:
Yvette Geller
Prof. Dale Salwak
ENG 101 – CRN 25307
07 February 2022
Thank you very much