THE GOOD DEATH AND THE MODERN NOVEL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v4i1.16Keywords:
Death, fiction, anxieties, preparedness, language, storiesAbstract
This paper reflects whether contemporary fiction can be used to establish and refine any modern idea of a good death. It defines a good death initially as one which is nonviolent and sums up a whole life. It tests this against a series of examples, and looks at notions of preparedness and aptness, as well as some anxieties. A fuller reading of one novel suggest a good death entails additionally finding an appropriate language, the telling and ending of stories and the ordering of loves.
References
ARIES P. (1976) Western Attitudes toward Death from the Middle Ages to the Present Boyars, London
BARTH K. (1960) The Epistle to the Romans OUP, London
BRONFEN E. (1992) Over Her Dead Body Routledge, New York
DEXTER C. (1999) The Remorseful Day Macmillan, London
GALE P. (1995) The Facts of Life Flamingo, Glasgow
GODWIN G. (1994) The Good Husband BCA/Deutsch, London
GORER G. (1965) Death, Grief and Mourning in Contemporary Britain Hutchinson, New York
IGNATIEFF M. (1993) Scar Tissue Chatto and Windus, London
SHIELDS C. (1993) The Stone Diaries Fourth Estate, London
TOIBIN C. (1999) The Blackwater Lightship Picador, London
WAUGH E. (1945) Brideshead Revisited Chapman and Hall, London
BARTH K. (1960) The Epistle to the Romans OUP, London
BRONFEN E. (1992) Over Her Dead Body Routledge, New York
DEXTER C. (1999) The Remorseful Day Macmillan, London
GALE P. (1995) The Facts of Life Flamingo, Glasgow
GODWIN G. (1994) The Good Husband BCA/Deutsch, London
GORER G. (1965) Death, Grief and Mourning in Contemporary Britain Hutchinson, New York
IGNATIEFF M. (1993) Scar Tissue Chatto and Windus, London
SHIELDS C. (1993) The Stone Diaries Fourth Estate, London
TOIBIN C. (1999) The Blackwater Lightship Picador, London
WAUGH E. (1945) Brideshead Revisited Chapman and Hall, London
Published
2013-06-04
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Durie, K. (2013). THE GOOD DEATH AND THE MODERN NOVEL. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 4(1), 16-20. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v4i1.16
