A Review of On Death and Dying
For my book review, I read On Death and Dying, by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Dr. Kubler-Ross was the first person in her field to discuss the topic of death. Before 1969, death was considered a taboo. On Death and Dying is one of the most important psychological studies of the late twentieth century. The work grew out of her famous interdisciplinary seminar on death, life, and transition. In this paper, I give a comprehensive book review as well as integrate topics learned in class with Dr. Kubler-Ross' work.Like Piaget's look at developmental stages in children, there are also stages a person experiences on the journey toward death. These five stages are denial/isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. On Death and Dying can be used as an aid to doctors, nurses, clergy, and the patient's family. Issues such as unfinished business, therapy, and hope for a cure for the terminally ill are discussed within this book. Each chapter uses interviews with patients to express the key factors surrounding their illness. Every patient knows that they are destined to die, and Kubler-Ross uses one-on-one therapy to help in the healing process.
I remember her being angry and depressed about her situation, but did not like to express much emotion. My grandmother wanted to discuss how financial security and wellbeing matters for her family would continue to thrive after she went to heaven. The second one is an expression of the family member's needs in particular and less verbal than the first type. If we did not live with this pain, such as my grandmother had, we may lead different lives. I agreed with Kubler-Ross when she mentioned that this action not only served the interests of the patient (my grandmother), but of the whole family's "defensiveness". Kubler-Ross mentions that "as the family reacts personally to this anger, they respond with increasing anger on their part, only feeding into the patient's hostile behavior" (65). When people experience death, it is only natural to feel depressed. When loved ones are suffering from a terminal illness, we need to be open to the stages they are going to pass through and how it is going to affect us in the process. Upon finishing this selection, I learned that death is a process and a journey of grief. Overall, I feel families who are dealing with a death should read this book. In a way she opened the doors to conversing about death other than behind them. Kubler-Ross sees depression as an initial reactive depression and then moving to a preparatory depression. To resolve most conflicts in our lives when we are dying is when we are able to accept the inevitable. " We either choose to let the depression consume us, or we decide to accept death. In one section of the denial analysis, Kubler-Ross states that it "is usually a temporary defense and will soon be replaced by partial acceptance" (53).
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Acceptance Essays
