Barefoot Diva

I chose to read and respond to Deirdre Sullivan’s essay, Always Go to the Funeral. In her writing, Sullivan spoke about her experiences with death, and how her father shaped her life by insisting that she always attend funerals. She went on to explain how this developed into a personal philosophy, about getting over small inconveniences; because doing the things you really don’t want to and probably don’t even have to, could mean the world to someone else.

Death is the most inevitable and unknown aspect of life. It is unescapable, and by most of today’s population, it is feared in the utmost regard. Our materialistic views and constant desertion of religious ideals has forced our society to view death as an ultimate end. Socrates and St. Augustine’s views on death differ from many views on the subject in 2017, however, for their time, these men had the power to influence a plethora of individuals with their theories. For Socrates, death should never be feared and should be considered a blessing if our souls were to ascend to heaven, or death could be an extensive slumber without any dreaming whatsoever. With

You’ve probably heard the old saying. “Only two things in life are certain: death and taxes” It’s true: at some point, we all will die. Although you may think death is an unpleasant subject, it is something that everybody must cope with. People are different all over the world, but death is one thing that everyone has in common. ( Stair, choosing a career in mortuary science and the funeral industry 6)

Painful as it may be, such experiences brings home the finality of death. Something deep within us demands a confrontation with death. A last look assures us that the person we loved is, indeed, gone forever.” (108) Cable finishes his essay by asking, Tim if his job ever depressed him. Tim in reply says, “No it doesn’t, and I do what I can for people and take satisfaction in enabling relatives to see their loved ones as they were in real life.” (108) After reading this essay I feel as though sometimes we don’t understand death so therefore we do not talk much about it. By reading about what goes on after your loved one dies and is sent to these places to be prepared and ready for burial, it helps to understand why morticians and funeral directors do what they do. Knowing that someone enjoys taking the responsibility in providing that comfort in a sorrowful time makes me appreciate these people in these occupations a bit

club. She died March 31st, 1995. It was at the Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi,

Each individual has a unique way of coping with death, and this is evident throughout Christina Rossetti’s, “Remember” and W. H. Auden’s “Stop all of the Clocks”.

In Our Town, Thornton Wilder conveys that in order to value life one must acknowledge its finality. However, by accepting its impermanence, one inevitably becomes focused on the sorrow that accompanies its imminent end. Thus, it inhibits one from valuing life presently because one is aware that, in the words of Robert Frost, everything “golden” is fleeting.

Selena Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer that dramatically impacted the world of Tejano music. “Selena transformed Tejano music from a local genre performed on a circuit of small venues into an international form that expressed the aspirations of many in the latino community,” affirms The Nineties in America. She was born on April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas and died on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture states that, “she [Selena] was widely popular with Latino audiences, especially young women, who looked to her as a role model.” Although, Selena had a short life that did not prevent her from becoming a legend.

Death is a controversial and sensitive subject. When discussing death, several questions come to mind about what happens in our afterlife, such as: where do you go and what do you see? Emily Dickinson is a poet who explores her curiosity of death and the afterlife through her creative writing ability. She displays different views on death by writing two contrasting poems: one of a softer side and another of a more ridged and scary side. When looking at dissimilar observations of death it can be seen how private and special it is; it is also understood that death is inevitable so coping with it can be taken in different ways. Emily Dickinson’s poems “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” and “I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died” show both

To begin with, both Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson spoke about not only a person dying, but the people who were left to live through that person’s

Legacy has been a goal for many because it supersedes even death. It is the one thing that everyone wants to leave behind. No matter the size, whether grand or small, a legacy is a person’s aim because it involves becoming someone that will be remembered. Some may spend their entire lives seeking out a legacy that will allow them to be remembered by many. Others do the same but to be only remembered by those dear to them. Some were given the luxury of being born a legacy while others die a legacy. Some take in order to grow a legacy, while others give. However, there are only a few cases in which people are given a legacy without asking for one. Henrietta Lacks is an example of that case. She was unaware of her contributions and how her cells

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss in life is what dies inside us while we live.” -Norman Cousins

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” -Norman Cousins

Many people today hold on to the topic of immortality because they find it so difficult to say goodbye to a loved one. Placing flowers on graves is a popular way to remember the deceased. Even years after the person has died, the family members and friends still go to the gravesite to reminisce. People find it

In this essay I will be looking into the work of Marina Abramovic in relation to the Feminist movement. By looking at her work, I aim to emphasise her influence on this movement. In this essay, I shall also briefly examine the works of Abramovic, particularly Art is Beautiful, Artist must be Beautiful (1975) and four of her performances from her Rhythm series (10 (1973), 0 (1974), 2 (1974), and 5 (1974)). I shall describe the history of the Feminist movement and its influence in order to develop an understanding of Abramovic’s influence.