Stoiff The Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers Analysis

“Memento mori” is a Latin expression that roughly translates to “remember that you are mortal,” or “remember that you will die.” We all strive to live our lives as best as we can, but never forget that we are mortal and at some point everything will come to an end for oneself. Everybody has undoubtedly pondered at some point about what lies beyond death. While most people focus on where their soul and consciousness will go beyond the grave, Mary Roach’s “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” calls to mind a much less commonly regarded aspect of the topic as it details the various fates that befall our corpses after we die. Roach conveys the often gruesomely detailed information with an unrelenting air of wit, resulting in one of the most …show more content…
Roach heavily focuses the majority of her time on exploring the benefits and discoveries that have been reached thanks to the donation of cadavers to modern scientific research. From studies of human anatomy to improvements in motor vehicle safety and beyond, the cadavers of people who have chosen to donate their bodies for preservation and research have proved invaluable to our current way of life. Roach also goes over a few alternative choices that one can make for their cadavers that are slightly less intimidating, but can still be a more attractive alternative to traditional methods of corpse disposal and could still help others. For instance, if one opts to convert their cadaver into human compost, their body goes through the relatively tame process of being frozen in liquid nitrogen, shattered by waves or vibrations, and then freeze-dried into a compost that can feed a memorial plant. When one considers the horrific effects that traditional forms of disposal such as decay and cremation can have on the cadaver, the newly introduced methods seem tame, and I for one would prefer to leave behind a healthy tree than a pile of rotten flesh and bones. Most people ponder about what awaits their consciousness after death, but “Stiff” draws society’s attention to an almost equally important matter: the fate of our no-longer-inhabited …show more content…
Prior to this point, I had not considered the fate of the body I will one day leave behind save for the idea that my relatives would take care of it by burying it, and that would be the end of it. Now I know the harsh reality behind such a fate, and I have thus called into question my perspective on the matter. It is a given that I will likely never see or feel my body in its horrific state of decay, but I now know that there may be a better way to arrange for its disposal. I could make a selfless act even after I'm gone by donating my body to science, as it would be preserved and any of a variety of studies or tests could be made with it. I could go out in a relatively tame manner via some process akin to tissue digestion, and all that would leave is a harmless pile of dust. After reading this book through, however, I have come to love the idea of lending my body to the creation of human compost. It is not the most gruesome way of disposing of a body, and after the process is done I could continue to feed a plant that is beautiful in its own way, versus leaving behind a distasteful pile of remains in a buried coffin. I feel as if that would in a way leave a part of me to continue living in this world, and if my compost could feed a plant that bears fruit for my family, I would feel as if I could indirectly continue to look out for my loved ones after I'm gone. Needless