*new* a review of a book by Joan Didion, who lost both her husband and daughter in a very short period of time: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/books/blue-nights-by-joan-didion-review.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha28
Students,
Collectively, we've got a lot of knowledge about music, film, and books that deal directly or indirectly with death and dying. Post your favorites (what's most meaningful to you) here.
Books
Katrina Kittle's Traveling Light (http://katrinakittle.com/?page_id=100)
Music
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wayfaring_Stranger_%28song%29
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can_the_Circle_Be_Unbroken_%28Bye_and_Bye%29
Film
I just watched Hud, an old black-and-white with a very young Paul Newman. Lots of death and grief.
We watched a movie last year in FYS called Wit. It is about a renowned professor who is dying of terminal cancer and is questioning her whole life.
ReplyDeleteSteel Magnolias, which I am proud to say is one of my favorite movies :), has a lot of different topics related to class in it. It shows how much of a death defying culture we are, how hard it is on a family to pull the plug, and how everyone grieves differently.
ReplyDeleteA movie that I have to say best portrays death is the Saw series. If you are unfamiliar with the film I will just give a quick rundown of it. The main character in the film is a guy named John who was just diagnosed with terminal cancer. He makes it his mission to make people appreciate life more who don’t appreciate it already. The films may seem like gory and scary, but it has a deeper meaning. His victims are people who take their life for granted by cutting themselves, attempting suicide, shooting themselves with drugs, etc. He kidnaps these people and puts them through tests so in the end they appreciate their lives a little more. A good quote from that movie would be: Can you imagine what it feels like to have someone sit you down and tell you that you're dying? The gravity of that, hmm? Then the clock's ticking for you. In a split second your awe is cracked open. You look at things differently - smell things differently. You savor everything be it a glass of water or a walk in the park. But most people have the luxury of not knowing when that clock's going to go off. And the irony of it is that that keeps them from really living their life. It keeps them drinking that glass of water but never really tasting it. This quote exemplifies what it means of people living but not really living. They always think there is time and they can fix things or make things better or to do different things, but we never know when the our team here on earth is going to end.
ReplyDeleteA good song is Tim McGraw, live like you were dying. This is a good song to live by because like I said previously everyone thinks there is time to do the things they haven’t but in the end we never know when our time here on earth is going to end. We need to live everyday like it is our last and to make new friendships or do stuff we think we will have time for. We should take risks even if it means failing, because who knows what will happen if you take a risk. If we take a risk and fail we still might learn something from what we did.
My Sisters keeper is a great book about death or the good ole Bible.
I've also watched Wit and think it is good because also it gives a view on how health care providers should not treat a dying patient and how they ignore her DNR at the end.
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ReplyDeleteMusic:
ReplyDeleteWishing You Were Somehow Here Again – Phantom of the Opera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAIMbYSwSWg
Film:
Return to Me
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122459/
Life is Beautiful
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/
Books:
The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead -By: David Shields
This song came on my ipod the other day and instantly reminded me of this class. The song is called Die Die Die by The Avett Brothers. I think this song captures the fact of our mortality and points out the mystery of death in that we don't know what happens after.
ReplyDeleteLink to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOFRWb8bYew
Like to lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/die_die_die_lyrics_avett_brothers_the.html
Music:
ReplyDelete"Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood
Book:
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Film:
A Walk to Remember (with Mandy Moore)
A book that is a great example for this class is Tuesdays With Morrie. I read it in high school and it is an easy read. Everyone should check it out. It is about a professor who finds out he is dying, but continues to teach from his home until he is physically unable to anymore. It makes you realize that you do not have to give up your dreams.
ReplyDeleteI just finished "The lovely bones". I felt it had an interesting view on heaven and the greiving process
ReplyDeleteBook: Time Travelers Wife
ReplyDeleteMovie: PS I Love You
Song: Concrete Angel
I have to agree with everyone's posts! A book that I read as a junior in high school that really touched me about death and dying and the lesson and process behind it is A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. The other books/songs/movies that were going to be mentioned were already covered, especially that of PS I Love You, Live Like You Were Dying, etc.
ReplyDelete