Death and the Aftermath Essay Sample

Emily Dickinson, famous for her gothic and dreary works, delves into the uncertainty surrounding death in her lyrical poem, “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.” She uses the metaphor of Death personifying a gentleman,as he shows her around different beautiful aspects of life, such as watching children play, fields of grain, and a setting sun. She describes death, stating: “Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me (Dickinson line 1). In doing so, she turned the morbid and terrifying concept of death that could become more common due to her descriptions.. 

With a proper understanding and healthy approach, death can appear as less terrifying and unknown; it can be handled in a safe and healthy way. Death reflects the human condition of fear and uncertainty, which would be the traditional approach. Works like “Because I could Not Stop for Death” suggest that fear of death is unnecessary, and that death can actually be approached in an almost welcoming and melodic manner. 

Because of the uncertainty of the unknown, people have feared death for centuries. Most common fears are rooted in fear, as there is no natural way to know what comes after. Martin Stephen Frommer, a critically acclaimed grief psychologist known for his analysis on grief and childhood development, dissects the fear and grief patterns surrounding death. Frommer supports this sentiment in “Death Is Nothing at All: On Contemplating Non-Existence. A Relational Psychoanalytic Engagement of the Fear of Death” that the “fear of death is fearing the unknown” (374). Dickinson flips this idea, using comforting imagery to make Death seem like an old friend who shares with her what he loves in lines, such as, “We passed a school, Where children strove” (10). She uses this grounding and sobeing imagery of children, which is usually related to youth and happiness, to provide a peaceful approach to her ride with Death. This is another revolutionary approach in that most children feared death and would run from a visit from him rather than play.

In “Death Education and the Management of Fear of Death Via Photovoice: An Experience Among Undergraduate Students,” Ines Estoni et al. examines how students felt about death after taking several courses, many of which had photos of people and their various deaths. The students were encouraged to think about the afterlife they believe in, which can be another huge factor in fear of death. Estoni et al. wrote:

Death education meets the need to promote reflection on existential themes and exploration of contemporary concerns about death and beliefs in an afterlife. The overall aims of these courses are to provide information on death with a common and appropriate language, to create space for reflection on the meaning of life, and to offer the opportunity to discuss loss and suffering, anxieties and fears, without creating traumas or dreadful psychological problems. (388) 

They wrote about students who were primarily focused on the afterlife and how that changes their behavior. These students were more likely to fear death, as they were concerned they would not have gained what they wanted during this lifetime, such as religious needs or personal wants. Dickinson reflects on this in her poem, “We slowly drove – He knew no haste. And I had put away – My labor and my leisure too” (6) which shows that, even though she is on her way to die, she reflects positively on her life and what she had done, while also accepting that she is about to die. As Dickinson has no fear, this is important and makes Death an ally in her dying process. 

As well as responding peacefully to Death, Dickinson reflects on the opportunity of uncertainty regarding where and what will become of her after dying. The human condition of fear touches on this, as every culture has some sort of preparation, ritual, or just idea about the afterlife and death. The most famous example is the Ancient Egyptians and their intricate mummification process. Itwas used for them to prepare loved ones for the eternal afterlife, as they were unsure of what would come after. The concept of fear was ingrained in society, so Dickinson works to reverse this through offering the opportunity to question rather than fear.

Dickinson states, “I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity” (24) reflecting on her uncertainty on life after death. The use of the word 

“Eternity” shows her perspective on the finality of death, and how she is moving into a space that she welcomes willingly, and has no desire to change. 

Like the Egyptians and their death rituals, Dickinson reflects on her thoughts of preparation over her fear. Fear like this can control individuals’ daily lives, as Mikko Canini, fear and grief psychologist, writes in his analytical work titled “The Domination of Fear.” His work examines how fear can control a person’s every action, and how it can drive humans to go to extremes when creating rituals and actions. Canini writes, “The predominance of fear, as the frame through which we narrativize experience, can be perceived readily echoing across various fields from theoretical research, to the mass media” (12). By stating this, he provides a correlation between how one perceives fear, and how it causes them to react. Because humans fear death and the unknown, they create rituals and ceremonies to come to terms with, and prepare for what they believe comes after. 

Humans, with the proper understanding and preparations, can approach death in a fearless manner. Because of the societal fear of death and the unknown, death is the ultimate and final ending and is often viewed in a malicious light. Dickinson uses personification to bring Death to life, and creates an almost caring and nostalgic creature. By escorting her around different parts of her life, Death, described as a perfect gentleman, brings a sense of comfort to both Dickinson who then, in return, hopes to offer a different option to those who fear death. Fear and fear of the unknown, a natural part of the human condition, can be learned about and controlled through understanding and education. Because death reflects the human condition of fear and uncertainty, proper understanding and education is a must. While Dickinson may have never considered herself a feminist, she could certainly be considered a revolutionary thinker when it came to death. She had fears that she wrote about, and a reader can pull uncertainty from her work, but in this case, she offers us a true piece of education and brilliant awareness: Death can be life's greatest ally.