Characters' Reactions to Death in Riders to the Sea
In "Riders to the Sea" several reactions to the death of Michael take place when each of the individual characters learn of the tragedy and express their grief.
The first, which would most naturally occur, is for someone to become extremely pessimistic. The character Mauyra most obviously becomes pessimistic even while she is still not sure of the fate of her son. Even the idea of Bartley leaving to sell the horses makes her nervous, she’s afraid of losing her last son. Her pessimism is obvious when she says, "It’s hard set we’ll be surely the day you’re drownd’d with the rest. What way will I live and the girls with me, and I an old woman looking for the grave." Mauyra is completely destroyed by the deaths of the other men in her life. The death of her second to last son left her with an unabated pessimism that Bartley would die when he left to sell the horses. Mauyra’s angst is evident when she says, "He’s gone now, God spare us, and we’ll not see him again. He’s gone now, and when the black night is falling I’ll have no son left me in the world." Mauyra's pessimism is her way of keeping those around her from dying, perhaps some sense of guilt drives her emotions.
The least obvious reaction to a death is that of optimism. Though most people tend to seem optimistic, in all cases it is a false hope, a vocalized prayer in hopes that their worst fears will not come true. Cathleen has this same optimistic hope that so many hold onto for their dead loved ones. The optimistic impression given by Cathleen comes through most clearly when the girls set out to identify the clothing that the young priest had given to them. While going through the clothes they both look for tell...
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...in it but one man to work." Despite strong objections from his mother Bartley decides to leave, down playing any potential disaster of his brother’s by saying "How would it [Michael’s body] be washed up, and we after looking each day for nine days…?" Bartley leaves his poor mother behind, however, that would be his undoing. It is unfortunate that despite his best intentions he was not able to grieve for his brother. Denial was the only way that Bartley was able to cope with the loss of his brother.
As unfortunate an aspect of life as death is, it is still important for people to find some method by which they can deal with the feelings that they have when something so traumatic takes place to someone they love. Everyone’s coping method is different and works for them, however, in light of this play it would seem wise to listen to your mother on matters of grief.
Overcoming the grief that is felt after losing a loved one is a physically and mentally agonizing task. According to Dr. Christina Hibbert, a clinical psychologist who graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology, three main stages of grief include anger, depression and acceptance. Each one of these emotions can be seen in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Descendants (2011, Payne) as the artists explore the effects of grief and the different emotional responses that one can have due to the loss of a loved one. Additionally, in Ismail Kadare’s Broken April, the Berisha family feels the sufferance that is associated with unexpected death, as well as the various temperamental reactions that one will have after losing a loved one. Each of these works of art represent a powerful example of the stages that one will go through after feeling the intense sorrow that is connected with death, as well as the unavoidable effects of grief.
“From the onset of World War II until July 1973, the draft was a fact of life for American youth” (Warner & Asch, 169). Throughout this period of time, men were drafted into the service in an attempt to fill voids in the Armed Forces, which would not be filled through voluntary resources. Conscription was ended on June 30, 1973, and since then the U.S. Armed Forces have relied upon volunteers to fill their ranks. Currently, the number of active personnel serving in the U.S. Armed Forces is estimated at approximately 1.5 million people. Hence, only around two percent of the U.S. population is servicemen, who defend our domestic security as well as protect American interests abroad.
It is never easy to cope with a loved one’s death. I could not imagine Mameh’s pain. It must have been extremely difficult and devastating to experience her mother’s death alone. I wish Mameh had a figure to talk or express her emotions to. That weeping symbolizes Mameh’s hopelessness. Ruth would never forget the sound because that is how she perceived her mother, as irremediable.
Hansjorg, Hohr, (2000). Dynamic Aspects of Fairy Tales: social and emotional competence through fairy tales. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, Vol 44, No 1, Department of Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Reading this book has been interesting and heartbreaking experience. A Year of Magical Thinking, a journey through the grieving process. While dealing with the death of her husband, she is confronted with the sickness of her only child. This book touches me, and it makes me think of what would happen if my loved one died. This paper is a reflection of my thoughts and feelings about this woman’s journey that has been explored by book and video. I will also explore the author’s adjustment process, and how she views her changed self.
Louisa’s feelings for her lover have disappeared throughout the years and when her lover returns to marry her, she feels very uncertain of the marriage. Similarly, many engagements are broken due to the fact that the feelings between couples fade after there is a distance between them, for years. Another example that relates to life is, “[i]n that length of time much had happened. Louisa's mother and brother had died, and she was all alone in the world” (Freeman p). When immigrants return to their country, many deaths have occurred in the time period of their absence and sometimes the deaths include their own relatives. To their misfortune, they never have a chance to say a last good bye. The story, A new England’s Nun is very similar to the lives of many people and in many cases the same.
I have felt the pain of the loss of a Sister; have felt the pain of the death of my Mother, and felt the death of my Father. I know how it feels. I experienced it. It is painful, looking at those old kind folks who bore you; who took care of you; went through all kinds of sacrifices and pains just to look after you for years and years, until one day the child stood on one’s own two feet, and then … there they are, the parents, helpless and lifeless in front of you.
As cited by Riely (2003) “No one, neither adult nor child, grieves in the same manner” (p. 213). Parents usually do not tell the whole story of a death to children. “Children are “are not allowed to talk about who, what, when, where, and why a death has occurred” (Riely, 2003, p. 213). Not sure about what is going on, children try to piece together the bits of information they get and sense. Eventually, children “regard the death as a frightening, mysterious, traumatic experience with untrustworthy parent or adult caregivers who offer them no way to cope” (Riely, 2003, p. 213). Death often “elicits shock, denial, great anxiety, and distress” (Riely, 2003, p. 213). Thus, as children are not given permission to be sad and to grieve, “they fantasize and idealize the relationship with the dead. Children try to act grown-up in an attempt to master the pain of their loss and will deny helplessness. They tend to exhibit fearful, phobic behaviors and hypochondrias” (Riely, 2003, p.
... mother all along. Unluckily, both are unable to savour the moment. Overall, the mother and son relationship change throughout the play.
More than two decades ago, President Nixon ended the military draft. Now a new and more menacing form of enlistment is threatening our school systems. This enlistment I am speaking of is that we are forcing "community service" to be a requirement for high school graduation.
Let us first look at adults and grieving. Here the relationship with the decedent is a primary factor in the grieving process. When parents experience the loss of a child, it is considered the “most difficult of deaths” (Leming & Dickinson, 2011, p. 492). The cycle of life dictates that the older shall die first. When this cycle is broken with the death of a child, adults are not prepared for the death. The hope for the future is threaten within the family, and thoughts of what should have been, what will be missed linger. Mothers will talk more about the death while Fathers will keep busy with tasks in an attempt to avoid expressing their feelings (Leming & Dickinson, 2011, p. 492). There may be marital discord as w...
Death can be very scary for the elder and young. One never really knows how they will react to the event of death. Even though inevitable, death can be shocking for some or troubling for others. A shocking and a troubling reality of death are depicted in two short stories, Used to Live Here Once by Jean Rhys and A Father’s Story by Andre Dubus. How characters in a story react to death are often different from one another.
As soon as Mama appears on stage, before she speaks a single word, the stage directions tell us, the audience, that Mama is a strong woman (40). She has endured many things, among them the loss of a child, and now the loss of her husband and yet she preserves. As the play progresses we learn that Mama has managed to act as the head of the family in extremely tough times, working day in and day out. Instead of choosing to be bitter about her l...
..., Maria. “An Introduction to Fairy Tales.” Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens, Leonard J. Rosen. Toronto: Longman, 2013. 230-235. Print.
Nevertheless, many fears to technological advancement have been expressed similarly to that of their predecessors by the ‘Neo-Luddites’ of today (Stewart 1996, p.13). A prime advocate, author of The End of Work and US economist, Jeremy Rifkin asserts that technology is a ‘revolution’ which has taken over the world, posing a significant restructuring of the workforce and quality of life (Wyndham 1997, p.