The death scene in The Makioka Sisters and what it signifies

He doesn't exactly measure up to the standard of the master - who does? - but Junichiro Tanizaki's death-scene account (spoilers coming for those of you who actually might read this novel) in The Makioka sisters belongs at least in the same arena as Tolstoy's death scenes (Ivan Ilych, the prince [?] in War and Peace) - a terrific and harrowing account of the painful death of Ikatura (sp?), the young photographer who hopes to marry youngest sister, Taeko. Aside from the harrowing description of the pain Ik endured in the last days of his life, there is an equally painful social context to this death scene. It's obvious that Ik is dying because of medical malfeasance - he was in a hospital to have an ear infection removed by surgery (this is in 1939, and apparently there were no antibiotic treatments at that time?), a botched operation that led to blood poisoning and a slow and painful death. We know that the M sisters, from a once-prosperous family that is desperately trying to hold on to its social grandeur, would never have had the same kind of medical treatment as Ik, a man from a peasant background with no social status or wealth: his hospital room is crowded and dingy, the doctor who botched the operation basically disappeared for several days rather than talk to the family, the doctor was apparently an alcoholic and had a record of many failed surgeries, etc., and all this made worse by Ik's family coming in from the countryside and having no idea how to make vital medical decisions when needed. This disparity plays out against the social snobbery of the M family, as the sisters, especially the elder 2, Tsuruko and Sachiko (sp?), have been scheming as to how to preserve the family honor and have Taeko marry the wealthy but worthless older suitor, Okabato (sp?). Fate - or actually social prejudices and inequality - have made the decision for them; S. feels guilty about this, but part of her thinks that Ik's death is a blessing for Taeko. This kind of thinking, however, seems doomed and tragic by the end of Book 2, which, surprisingly, concludes with two completely oblivious letters from the Stolz family, now relocated in Hamburg, encouraging the M sisters to pay a visit. The world around the Makioka sisters is falling apart as the World War seems more and more inevitable, but they just don't get it, focusing on family honor and tradition while their nation lives in the shadow of war and, of course - JT was completing this novel in 1948 - of aerial attack.