Assignment
1. "Compose" Assignment, p. 25: Taboo or not, all of us come to experience death at some point in our lives. Write a short journal entry (500 words or more) about an experience you have had with death. In your response, discuss whether or not your experience supports Kubler-Ross's claims about our society's view of death. You may have to read the essay again to determine exactly what the author's argument (claim) was.
2. "Explore" Assignment, p. 31: In our reading, Koenigsberg challenges Elisabeth Kugler-Ross's ideas about the stages of grief, arguing that our often public expressions of grief are culturally-not psychologically-motivated. Using the resources of your campus library and/or the Internet, examine how other cultures express grief. Write a journal entry of at least 500 words in response to your findings. Remember to cite your sources since you will be relying on others' words.
3. "Compose" p. 165: In a journal entry of at least 400 words, compare the speaker in Chief Tecumseh's speech to the speaker in Blue Oyster Cult's song lyric, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," on page 5. How are their views of death alike? Different? Be sure to use specific passages from each text to support your claims. Remember to cite.
4. "Compose", p. 69: Helen Prejean is an advocate for the abolishment of the death penalty in the United States. What was your response to her account of Pat Sonnier's execution? What do you think about the issue as a whole? Write a letter to Prejean outlining your responses to both the excerpt you read from her book, as well as to the issue itself. Aim for a page or two of text.
5. "Compose", p. 114: Mitford's article exposes some of the more outrageous and costly practices done for funerals, such as caskets with "inner-spring mattresses" and "handmade original fashions" to dress the dead body. What do you think is important for a funeral? Write a short piece (600 words or more) outlining how you would like your own funeral to be planned, especially in terms of cost.