Author's Argument #1 (Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach)

Précis

In Mary Roach’s non-fiction work Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (2003), Roach explores the little-known contributions of human cadavers. In the introduction of the book, she likens death to a cruise ship and then provides her own personal take on death.  She follows this up with an anecdote about the death of her mother and how she believes that death, and afterlife, is a journey rather than a single event or a series of events.  In the first few chapters of the book she explores issues including how the heads of individuals can be used for plastic surgeons to practice on, the lack of respect that human remains are treated with, how the process of human decay takes place, and the different kinds of research that cadavers can, and have been used for.  Roach’s exploration of all of the topics is significant because it makes many people, who were once unaware of how important the role that human corpses play in our society, are now able to better understand their importance.

Vocabulary

·       Altruism- a concern for the welfare of others

·      Desiccate- to dry out thoroughly

·      Procur- to get by special effort

·      Putrefacation- the decomposition of organic matter

·      Rigor Mortis- one of the recognizable signs of death that is caused by a chemical change in  
     muscles after death

Tone

·       Assertive

·      Humorous

·      Sarcastic

Rhetorical Strategies

·       Telegraphic Sentence- “The brain has shut down.  The flesh begins to soften” (page 9).

·      Simile- “Before switching on the aspirator, Theo takes a cloth to the man’s chin and wipes 
     away a substance that looks but surely doesn’t taste like chocolate syrup” (page 75).

·      Rhetoric Question- “What do you do with a dead person for an hour”

(page 13)?

·      Metaphor- “The early surgeons weren't the hyper-educated cowboy-saviors that they are today” (Page 28).

·      Parallel Sentence Structure- “Because you're holding this disconnected hand,and it's holding you back" (Page 25).

Discussion Questions

1.                     Did Roach and her brother actually sit with their mother’s coffin and play jumble?

2.                     Why is Mary Roach able to describe death subjectively while others described in the book, so far, seemed to be forced to describe it objectively?

3.                     Why is it that whenever death is talked about no one is able to discuss it in a subjective manner like Roach is able to?

Important Quotation

            "I want you to know that you are always there when I see patients. When I palpate an abdomen, yours are the organs I imagine. When I listen to a heart, I recall holding your heart" (page 38).

"The writers, i do believe, who get the best and most lasting response from their readers are the writers who offer a happy ending through moral development. By a happy ending, I do not mean mere fortunate events--a marriage or a last minute rescue from death-- but some kind of spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation, even with the self, even at death." ~Fay Weldon

Contrary to popular belief, writers have not made a promise to themselves or to their readers to provide a “happy ending.” The finale bestowed upon the story doesn’t necessarily have to satisfy the person who reads the book. If the writer chooses to provide a “happy ending” it does not have to be marked by a physical change or event, better yet, it can be a moral or spiritual change. In fact, many writers receive more recognition for providing a “happy ending” that represent these types of changes rather than those that mark some sort of physical change. This is because physical changes are often superficial and will change with time, whether for better or for worse. When one changes from an ethical standpoint they are less likely to change for the worse at a later date. A prime example of this is Aesop’s Fables, which remains a popular choice in the moral foundation of today’s children.

"To belong is to understand the tacit codes of the people you live with." ~Blood and Belonging

To belong is a feeling that we yearn for by nature. Whether or not one chooses to admit this desire varies from person to person. Once the sense of belonging is achieved, there automatically are unspoken rules that must be followed. In addition to these unspoken rules, there are those rules that are spoken. The spoken rules are generally more important than the unspoken. This is evident through the fact that they are verbally stated rather than simply common knowledge. All of these rules are beneficial because they provide principles for the relationship. An example of how spoken rules equate to belonging could be found within many social groups. When you are new to a social group you will most likely be informed of only the spoken rules. Over time you will learn of the unspoken rules. In many instances there are just as many unspoken rules as there are spoken rules. As you learn of the unspoken rules, over time, you will begin to feel more a part of the group because you have learned something new, something that you would have not learned had you not been a part of this group.