White Noise Death

The Disney Way of Death explains the unfortunate/sad reaction to the evident loss of a loved one (friends and family). The reactions associated were common characteristics that Americans experience when they encountered death- Invisibility, silence, dispassion, institutionalization and taboo. (Laderman, 2000)

Where there is life, there is death. Writers around the world have tried to define death; to give it meaning and explain its impact. A common literary device known as personification is often used to attribute human-like characteristics to death in an attempt to show their interpretations of death. Personification allows us to “use insight about ourselves to help us comprehend such things as forces of nature, common events, abstract concepts, and inanimate objects” (qtd. Quinn). In Billy Collins’ “My Number”, Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop For Death”, and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Death has been personified into characters that range from civil to malicious and content to discontent. “My Number” is about a man who is fearful of what he believes to be a cunning and cruel Death.

Death is a topic that unites all of humanity. While it can be uncomfortable to think about, confronting death in unavoidable. “Dying” addresses that discomfort and universal unwillingness to consider the inevitability of death. Pinsky’s use of imagery, symbolism, and tone create a poetic experience that is like death, something every reader can relate to. In “Dying,” Pinsky describes how people are oblivious and almost uncaring when it comes to the thought of death. Pinsky is trying to convince the reader that they shouldn’t ignore the concept of death because life is shorter than it seems.

In the play Quiet Torrential Sound by Joan Ackermann, immediately introduced are the main characters Monica and Claire, two sisters who seem different from the start. As the story plays out, the scene does not change, but the characters do, even though it may not be super obvious. It is clear that the two sisters have contrasting personalities and treat others in a different way, but what isn’t immediately clear, is that the two also have just as many things in common. While Monica may seem like the older, stronger, and more confident sister in the beginning, as the play goes on a different side of her gets revealed that shows her lack of self-confidence and her inner insecurities.

The theme death has always played a crucial role in literature. Death surrounds us and our everyday life, something that we must adapt and accept. Whether its on television or newpaper, you'll probobly hear about the death of an individual or even a group. Most people have their own ideas and attitude towards it, but many consider this to be a tragic event due to many reasons. For those who suffered greatly from despair, living their life miserably and hopelessly, it could actually be a relief to them. Death effects not only you, but also those around you, while some people may stay unaffected depending on how they perceive it.

Viewers across the nation are affected by the social media causing stress on the subject by bombarding the public with media stories, rumors and “a sense of mass panic”. Victims have to relive that horrible moment because the media wants to

Due the rapid flooding, whole neighborhoods were engulfed in water, numerous residents became stranded, and could be seen on the roofs of buildings across the city. A neighborhood TV channel reported New Orleans was encountering broad flooding due to levee damage, clean water was scarce, and the city was electrically deficient and was estimated to last for weeks. At day’s end, the Mayor of New Orleans described the considerable death toll with reports of bodies floating on the water throughout the city. The National Guard set up morgues all throughout the city. Coordination of rescue efforts days to come were hard due to lack of communication. Telephones and internet access became nonfunctional due to line breaks or power failures. Often, reporters were asked to brief public officials on the conditions in areas where information wasn’t reaching them. All local television stations and newspapers were quickly relocated, as broadcasting and internet became an essential method of distributing information to evacuees and the rest of the world for reports of what was occurring in the city. (Silverman)

In these three literary pieces a prevalent theme is death. Death may be defined as the end-ing period of physical life. However, throughout the development of these stories, it was possible to distinguish plenty of physical but even non-physical death as well. This absolutely

In the play “everyman” death is depicted as something that is terribly feared as no one seemed ready for it, death is perceived as something that takes one away from the pleasures of this world.

Compared to most of today’s coverage, the news of the 9/11 attacks spread like wildfire. When people had gotten word that the first plane hit the World Trade Center, many immediately turned on their televisions. Television news seemed to have been the most popular source of news among the people. By 8:52 a.m., minutes after the initial attack, many news stations, from Fox News to CNN, were covering the attacks (K. Fung 1). During this

After a major weather incident happens we do see the good come out of ordinary people on the news. The news after Hurricane Katrina started off with acts of courage by the Coast Guard, rescuing roughly 34,000 people. We saw stories of ordinary citizens helping their neighbors and even strangers with shelter, food and water. It did not take long for the media to find the stories that would make us ask how, and why is this happening. The people that were stranded in the Super Dome while it was falling apart around them. They went to seek shelter because they could not get out of the city quick enough. They had little supplies, and when the news learned that they were stuck there without a legit plan by the city, state or federal government to get them out, or supply others with the help they needed. It took days for FEMA to set up operations in New Orleans, and the focus turned for the media to why it took so long for the government to help the people there instead of the heroic storied that we would not hear of

There are disasters occurring all around the world that most individuals will not hear of due to a lack of media coverage. Many of these disasters can have incredibly detrimental effects on entire populations, and those at risk deserve a chance to educate themselves. Two of the disasters found were the West Fertilizer plant explosion and the increasing rate of acidification of ocean water. Despite the fact that these disasters pose such incredible dangers, they were found to be among the least reported on stories amongst media outlets. Although these disasters have not been covered nearly as much as other major catastrophes, such as hurricane Katrina, they still have far reaching physical and emotional consequences and have their own unique story.

As a gothic writer, Edgar Allan Poe created horror using gloom as his weapon. Hidden within the suspenseful story of “The Masque of Red Death” is an allegorical tale of how individuals deal with the fear of death as time passes. Frantic activities and pleasures (as represented by Prince Prospero and his guests) seek to wall out the threat of death. However, the story reminds the reader that death comes “like a thief in the night”(Poe 3), and even those who seek peace and safety shall not escape. Poe uses symbolism to illustrate that man cannot hide from his own mortality.

     Perhaps, the character most responsive to death is Jack Gladney. In fact, he is so consumed by his fear of death that his ordinary thought processes are often interrupted by the question: “Who will die first” (DeLillo 15)? In Jack’s mind: “This question comes up from

“The world…is crowded, not necessarily with occupants and not at all with memorable experiences, but with happenings; it is a ceaseless flow of seductive trivialities which invoke neither reflection, nor choice but instant participation.” (Oakeshott) The idea of the lacking of realness is one of the major themes carried out throughout the novel White Noise by Don DeLillo, especially through the device of the television.