Death is one of the most evocative concepts known to man, when endured it 's arduous to reconcile the aftermath. But aside from making the hairs on the back of necks stand, death is also agonizing. The death of a loved one or anyone can break a man, and if they are not mentally prepared they could lose themselves or in many cases lose the will to continue to believe in their spiritual or secular ideology. Regardless of what it is death can always find a creep into your beliefs and make you question the fundamental pieces of your life that make you whole. In “Bless me Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya, aside from playing a vital part in the development of the plot, the deaths that take place in this piece of literature are critical to the mindset of Antonio, the protagonist, and his beliefs.…
All around the world there are different religions and belief systems, each slightly different than the other. The Zuñi’s from Zuñi, New Mexico are one of these many religious groups that have their own traditions, including traditions for death. In the short article, An American Indian View of Death, author Dennis Tedlock shows a slight view into the Zuñi’s religious background by describing the impact that the death of one had on them all. Death, in the Zuni’s perspective, can be seen days before the death takes place. In this story, Otho, the man deceased, had suddenly been seen as “in a hurry” and “learning skills much too fast” by his stepfather Lewis.…
Louise Erdrich’s “The Flower” and George Saunders’ the “Tenth of December” are two of the most acclaimed short stories of the early 21st century. Both stories narrate a unique tale while examining a topic that has fascinated all of humanity throughout time: death. In the “Tenth of December,” Don Eber, a protagonist of the story, faces death in two forms: his stepfather’s passing and his personal pursuit of death. Likewise, Mink’s daughter and Wolfred in “The Flower” confront death with the parting of Mink and Mackinnon. Coupled together, the two narratives examine the concept of mortality, in addition to revealing its long-term consequences on the characters and the plot of each story.…
The migrant experience engenders growth and cultivation of the human identity, however the aspects of cultural belonging and the emotional remonstrance affiliated with adaptation, assimilation and personal transfiguration are concomitant to the journey. Peter Skrzynecki's poems ‘Postcard’ and ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ from his acclaimed ‘Immigrant Chronicle’ capture the aspects associated with the migrant experience in vivid detail, his abstract use of motifs, personification and metaphors explicitly mirroring these concepts, the incongruent and intrinsic nature of human response to belonging and change prominent in the world of the persona. The migratory experience illuminated within ‘Postcard’ and ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ epitomises the struggles of…
Death is inevitable and the customs that follow one 's death are representive of the beliefs and shared religion of that society. Through the scope of this paper I will discuss the death rituals and tomb burial practices of both Ancient Egypt and Ancient China. Over the examination of Ancient Egypt and Ancient China burial practices we begin to understand the complex thought process of respecting the dead, Furthermore, even though both of these civilizations have individually intricate beliefs we can also see the similarities in their ideals and rituals used to honor the dead and afterlife. These societies performed rituals for their deceased by using key components such as symbolic material objects buried alongside the dead, elaborate decoration…
Being born and raised in Northern Illinois it comes to little surprise that my family’s foodways derive heavily from our Polish heritage. Pierogi are one of the most well known Polish foods, so much so that they have become internationally commercialized by brands such as Mrs.T’s and Kasia. The name pierogi is plural but the singular “pieróg” is not used along with the term “pierogies” which many modern non-polish people misuse as the plural of pierogi. Pierogi are a Central European but mainly Polish dish that can be eaten as an appetizer, main course, or dessert.…
Respecting the dead 151,600 people die every single day, according to the Population Reference Bureau. Both common and natural, death is something that has an impact on everyone at some point in their life. In the books “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley and “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, death frequently occurs and impacts the characters and their story. The dead deserve respected regardless of the way they lead their life or die for the sake of the family members and loved ones, all human beings deserve some respect after they die, and, because treating the dead inadequately could lead to conflict. Everyone who passes away has some sort of family, friends or people who they have impacted.…
How we see the theme, Life and Death and Innocence and Experience Some life come or leave this world in everyday. But have we ever think of life and death? I did not think of it until I read two pieces of story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and “Death Knock” by Woody Allen. This two pieces gives me some ideas about life and death, which helps me have a deeply reflection on it.…
Among people and societies different cultures have always been present. Our human capacity for learning, using, and recognizing symbols allows for these cultures to develop and to change. Often times cultures’ beliefs and symbols don’t align with any person not born into that culture. However if that person observes this other culture through open and objective eyes, they can understand the reasons behind other cultural beliefs. Horace Miner’s observations of the Nacirema people in Body Ritual of the Nacirema reveal just how important perspective can be when observing other cultures.…
As early as the 1790s Poland's freedom was viewed in Europe as a conflict with its peace and that if Europe sliced up the country they felt Europe would be safer. After 1815 the lion's share of Poland territory was governed by the czar of Russia who strangled Polish culture including the language as a result in 1830 Poland rose up against Russia with the result that many Poles fled the country. Aleksander, Russia's Czar, who created the Congress Kingdom of Poland violated the laws of the country in the 1860s which angered the Poles and they staged anti-Russia demonstrations in Warsaw; the Poles especially the Jews were punished by the Cossacks. In the 1870s Russia more aggressively tried to eradicate Polish culture by suppressing Polish language…
Throughout both stories, “Bobok” and “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man,” author Dostoevsky, opposed to positivism, negate a society oppressed with suffering and ethically defective people. Also, disclosed that happiness can be found through love, but not all are lucky to have that love. In “Bobok,” discloses the pain of the characters, which they tolerated when they were alive and how grateful their lives, is after the death. The dead souls discuss very openly about the lives, although, some of their discussion were bitter, passion, including confession and corruption that they decline while they were alive.…
Many books focus on the living and how their lives impacted a certain event or country. Katherine Verdery, an American anthropologist shares her interest with the “lives” of dead bodies. She focuses on how their deaths, their burials and commemoration of their lives itself is a political act. It is a question of sovereignty and national identity of countries when they decided where to bury the corpse, or where they erect statues in remembrance of the person. The book sets out to bring "enchantment" into political accounts of post-socialist transformation (p. 26).…
Robert Garland opens The Greek Way of Death by noting to readers that the way humans today hold death rituals might one day be found and considered very odd. Garland then reminds us that our feelings about death largely remains the same. In drawing this tie between the two civilizations, readers are reminded that while these Greek practices might seem weird, they were very real and important to the Ancient Greeks. In The Greek Way of Death, Robert Garland discusses death starting with an individual’s sickness to visiting their gravesite years after they have passed; he highlights the importance of familial bonds and how Greeks honored those ties even after death.…
Guhgalski, Guglinski, Giggleski, Googalski. Despite having a relatively easy Polish last name to pronounce (Gugulski), people always find ways to mispronounce it. I have heard my name butchered so many times, I have come to dread the first day of school. My Polish heritage has really shaped the way I have developed as a student, member of society, and person. Without it, I would not have achieved as much as I currently have.…
While “Identification” presents the direct struggle of processing death through a strong persona and repetition to emphasise the denial, the writer of “And You as Well Must Die, Beloved Dust” uses the comparison of beauty and love’s power to death’s to show his acceptance towards death after a long time. They both use natural imagery to comprehend death. “Identification” uses it as a familiar tool in resistance to uncomfortable death while “And You as Well Must Die, Beloved Dust” uses it to emphasis that death is just another natural occurrence on Earth. Both these poems use extensive representations and poetic techniques, and can be compared to show the difference of one’s attitude towards death between the early stages and after some time has…