Why do People Fear Death?
Death is inevitable and a reality that soon, we will have to face one in different or similar ways. But the pressing question is, why do people fear death? Why are other people more afraid than others? And what exactly makes people fear death? It is very much likely that we are all scared of death; however, some are more scared than others. This fear often varies, whether it comes from our projection of death or form than our loved ones. Thoughts about death are not pleasant, and we are naturally inclined to avoid such thoughts. Instead, we choose to focus on life’s offings, together with our wishes and goals. Bridge to Terabithia is a movie that attempts to answer questions as to why people fear death. Some characters therein have a brush with circumstances around death, and they assist in finding out how people fear death. Though the movie does not explicitly show why people fear death, their mannerisms and behaviors shape death’s concepts and its unpleasant nature.
Summary of Story
The semester story to be tackled is Why do People Fear Death? It is an interesting story that has features of existentialism written all over it. It is general knowledge that people will die someday. Also, life’s longevity is not promised for anybody. However, when people begin to dig deeper and ask questions about death, there is fear that emerges (Brown). This fear increases when somebody we love dies (Brown). We are therefore left wondering whether we are next in line to meet the ‘torments of death.’ The fear of death varies in different individuals and is usually determined by our religious dispositions most of the time (Brown). Conversely, it may be determined by our upbringing; how our parents react about death is often mirrored in our own lives. Overall, the fear of death is a thought that is in everyone’s mind.
Summary of the Cultural Artifact
The cultural artifact to be used is a movie called Bridge to Terabithia. It is a part-fictional and part non-fiction movie that depicts the lives of two young school-going children who stumble upon an abandoned treehouse. They name the treehouse, Terabithia, hence the title Bridge to Terabithia. Over time, the magical treehouse becomes a place where the two young friends, named Jess and Leslie, get to know each other well and form a close-knitted bond (Bazelon). However, one day, that close-knitted bond ends when Leslie dies unexpectedly and tragically. While the pair wants to cross a creek to the treehouse, they usually use a rope to swing to the other side of the creek. Unfortunately, while Jess was at school, Leslie went to visit the treehouse, and upon swinging using the rope, she fell in the creek and hit her head (Bazelon). She was pronounced dead due to drowning. When Jess hears the news, he becomes devastated, not because Leslie had died, but because she had been killed without saying goodbye. He becomes sad and blames everyone for her death.
Analysis
The fear of death in the cultural artifact, Bridge to Terabithia, is intertwined in friendship and the fear of losing the friendship. Bridge to Terabithia is a movie that showcases Jess and Leslie’s exceptional bond as friends that could only be separated by death, which happens eventually. The death of Leslie affects Jess so much that we see him fearing death. He views the death of Leslie as a bad omen and that a malevolent spirit of Terabithia (the treehouse) is chasing him too. Therefore, Jess’s perception of death becomes obscure, making him fear that it will soon catch up with him. Seeing a close friend die is often dreadful and is a huge contributor to people fearing death since it means that death is around and is about to strike. Jess’ was worrisome that he would be the next to die after Leslie because of the obscure perception that death lurks closely where it has struck, waiting to strike. Overall, the fear of death lies in fear of losing a close relationship and the haunting feeling that death will come after a person.
Another significant aspect that elucidates why people fear death is shown in the reaction of Jess towards Leslie’s parents, Jess fears death because it takes a short time to strike. When Jess returns from school, she hears that Leslie had died, he becomes frustrated not literally at Leslie’s parents but death, since he was not given the time to say goodbye. The bad thing about death is that it becomes more painful when one does not get a chance to say their last goodbyes to a loved one. Jess became fearful and angry at the same time at death for not giving him a chance to bid farewell to Leslie. Overall, most people’s fear of death lies in it, not giving people a chance to bid goodbyes to their loved ones.
In summary, Bridge to Terabithia has somehow shown why people fear death through the behavior and mannerism of Jess. The fear of death is a typical yet ominous feeling that is inevitable. The thought that death lurks everywhere causes people to fear it. Also, it snatching people unawares increases people’s fear of it. The ideas about death cannot be waded away; however, accepting that it must occur is the first step towards healing.
Works Cited
Bazelon, Emily. “What Bridge to Terabithia Still Teaches Us.” Slate Magazine, slate.com/human-interest/2007/02/what-bridge-to-terabithia-still-teaches-us.html. Accessed 27 June 2020.
Brown, Jessica. “We Fear Death, but What if Dying Isn’t As Bad As We Think?” The Guardian, 25 Nov. 2019, www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2017/jul/25/we-fear-death-but-what-if-dying-isnt-as-bad-as-we-think. Accessed 27 June 2020.