9.1 Introduction
Chapter Introduction
What happens in the social world when people die. Typically, deaths are announced, lives lived are acknowledged, people are memorialized, celebrated, grieved and remembered. The process via which these things occur involves various forms of death-related communication, such as death notices, obituaries, eulogies, funeral home memorial programs, gravestone inscriptions, and memorial websites. The forms of communication occur shortly after death, prior to and after body disposal, and/or as part of events held post-death, including funerals, celebrations of life, and religious ceremonies. Although often left until after a death, the planning and writing of each can occur prior to death, and can involve the person for whom they are created. This chapter explores common death-related communications in North American society, focusing primarily on obituaries and eulogies.
Chapter Objectives/Learning Outcomes
After completing the chapter materials, you should have an understanding of:
- The functions and purposes of death notices and obituaries
- The functions and purposes of elegies and eulogies.
- Strategies for obituary writing.
- Strategies for writing and giving a eulogy.
Questions to Think About When Completing Chapter Materials
- What are the similarities and differences between death notices and obituaries?
- What are the similarities and differences between elegies and eulogies?
- What are the similarities and differences between obituaries and eulogies?
- How do you want to be remembered at the end of your life?
- What would you want included in your obituary and eulogy?