Reflect on Jacob Russel’s blog commenting on reading Severance by Robert Olen Butler.
“I was a young man, hardly more than an adolescent, when I first reflected on a curious inconsistency in the ways I thought about death. On the one hand, stated as a fact, an item of knowledge, that we are all going to die, myself included; how was it possible that I could state this fact--given the existential enormity of the subject----alone or in company...with complete indifference? Why should this idea have so little affective resonance? We have no knowledge of death, no experiential knowledge, I told myself. In that light, there was no reason that an idea, absent of content--a mere word, in effect, should make one anxious. What then, I had to ask, was I to make of those brief moments of absolute terror: waking at night to an absence, a black hole that seemed to have replaced the world, and was, perhaps, it's true reality?” http://jacobrussellsbarkingdog.blogspot.com/2008/01/review-robert-olen-butler-severance.html
Can you explain Russel’s “indifference” to the idea of death? How does Butler help us gain knowledge of something which “we have no knowledge of”? What are your thoughts, reflections, curiosities on the idea of death?
7 comments:
Russel reacts to death indifferently, or without concern, because it is not real to him. There is no possible image or emotion that he can connect with that unifies him to death and dying. He uses this as an excuse not to think about death, he uses this lack of knowledge to justify averting his mind. I feel that Severance is an outstanding piece that validates both the fear and the beauty in death. Butler uses abstract imagery and intense emotion to create a scene that is unique to the person dying. It’s their final thoughts ideas and questions. Butler doesn’t "think" of what to write, he feels it, and that is why these pieces of severance show true knowledge, for when we die there is no strategy. We will think of whatever was close to us whatever made us who we are. Personally I am terrified of death, and I have been ever since I was little. Whether it is because I have been close to a few people who have died, the possibility of dying has always been very real to me. Just imagine it. Try this, sit still in a place of silence and darkness and imagine not breathing, not being. It wakes you up. This I think is when you truly realize your living, when you try to imagine dying. Doing this is a room full of people is even more terrifying. If you can actually block the others out and feel like you aren’t there the emotions that run through you are intense. There is a book that actually changed the way I view dying other than severance, it’s called before I die and I highly recommend it...it takes a similar look at the abstract portion of dying but also includes the consciousness of dying. the affect the authors work had on me was eerie and I swear I didn’t talk for a full day because I was thinking about the book and death.....if you are brave and feel like facing the topic of death read SEVERANCE ( my favorite book in the planet) and before i die.
Most people are afraid of death. I believe that Jacob Russel acts indifferently because he was able to get over his fear of death. He realizes that it happens to everyone except nobody knows when it will happen to them. The reason why nobody has experience and nobody is told when or how they will die is because we are not meant to live in fear. If I knew when I was going to die I would do anything possible to prevent it. Then, all my focus and time would be towards preventing my death instead of living my life. Russel also believes that we should acknowledge death as the end of something great. Russel just looks at life and death differently in that he is not afraid of death. Now Butler gives us the scientific facts about death. Even when there are so few, Butler wants us to realize that even when everyone thinks that you die, you still are alive for a minute and a half. That minute and a half is to give everyone a last chance to look back on their life and either go peacefully or with regret.
Russel thinks of death as something that happens to everyone but an uncomprehensive happening. It is as if it was a dream. Russel cant comprehend death and therefore doesn't fear it. I find that the realization of death opens your eyes to how short our time here really is. Butler's "Severence" helps us understand the thoughts in our last minute and a half before death. These thoughts are gennerally of the most important things in our life and also our thoughts on the afterlife. Many think of their religion and beliefs and others may think only of what they could have changed in their lives and spend those moments in regret. I, simular to Russel, find that death is something that happens to us all; I don't fear it but, unlike Russel, I comprehend it; I believe in God and that this earthly death is but a new beggining.
I believe that out of all the fears in the world...Death is the greatest fear. It is our greatest fear due to the unknown nature of it, when will we die, how will we die, there are many questions that ppl want to know about death but just cant find out. Going back to what Carly said, even thought people want to find out everything about their death they just aren't meant to, because if even one person had knowledge about how and when they were going to die they would be trying to prevent their death rather than living their life.
I believe that the reason why Russel racts to death indifferently or without concern is because Russel has not fully thought about what death is or what death could mean for him. He lacks knowledge of what death is other than being dead. He uses that as a reason why he has not thought about what death really is. Reading severance changed how i viewed death. It was no longer just having no more emotion, or no more control over life because quite frankly your life was over. It was the reality that there is still time when your dead, you still have those 90 seconds, to reflect on what matters most to you in your life. It brought to me the thought how can you just be dead. How can you not feel, think, or intereact with the world you live in anymore. And is there really a better place we all reach when we get done on earth. Six pieces of severance has such intence emotion and imagery and that is why it affects people to want to look deeper into the meaning of what death is.
Kind of trailing off topic but i had to say this seeing how this is a huge topic on my mind and it happened to spike when i read this story and all these posts. Relating to what Lacie said, when you really think about it death is a pretty scary thing. You have to think...when we die do we go on to a place where there is no disease, sickness, or worries? Do we go onto our own sanctuary brought apon by our most treasured memories and activities? Or do we remain in darkness for the rest of eternity? Whenever i think about it i always get an uneasy feeling because i'm afraid of what could happen. Please feel free to comment back and give me your ideas on this.
Thesickpuppie09...which i think is Dylan jarvis, in response to your question i believe that Death is something you cant really controll. But it is key to life, without death we would take people and things for granted, we wouldnt fully appreciate their meaning if they are always around. Also maybe what happends to people after they die is different, i mean every human is so unique it just wouldnt make sense for everyones afterlife or w.e you believe happends to be storylike, living in clouds and wearing white. I believe death is something that stretches farther than anyone could imagine... but once people discover death and its mysteries i think thats when things are going to turn dangerous and become scarey. Death in itself shouldnt be feared, losing everything you have should be which is why you should try and make everything good while you can...but i'm ranting so ill stop. ha
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