What Happens After Death In Literature Essay

For many people, death is one of the scariest things they will have to face. Why? Because they do not know what will happen after they die; will they go to Heaven, or will they be reincarnated? No one is, or can be, certain of what happens and arguably, this could be the main basis of religion. The question of what happens after death is a common theme expressed through many works of literature, such as Obasan by Joy Kogawa, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane, and the poem “At the River Clarion” by Mary Oliver.
Through literature, writers are able to express their own beliefs about what happens after death; many have strong connections and faith in their religion. However, I believe that people should accept death and not spend their lives worried or scared of death. Whether we like it or not, death is inevitable, so I firmly believe we should try to make the most of our life while we are still alive and not worried about what will happen after death. Religion, to me, is almost selfish. Religion was created so people could have some comfort that even after they die they will be alive elsewhere. In my opinion, religion -- although a good concept -- often leads to hatred and prejudice when all it preaches is …show more content…
In many works of literature what happens after death is a common theme found throughout many different styles and authors. Through the analysis of Hamlet, Obasan, ¨The Open Boat,¨ and ¨The River Clarion¨ it is easy to see that many of the authors share similar views on mortality and how people should deal with it. I agreed with nearly every author, in different ways, but overall I feel that we should be able to accept death, but not spend our lives worrying about it. Instead we should spend our time making the most of our own lives, and being the best we can be, and as Hamlet believed, we should just let