Week 8 Journal

No matter how you may look at them, tombstones are, in fact, a piece of everyday writing, as they may contain rhetorical elements and communicate a message toward others (Primarily the living). Tombstones are also a public entity, as they can be found in large numbers throughout almost every major town or city. This publicity helps aid in the stones sending their message to a large audience, which is the living. Though all tombstones are aimed toward specific members of the audience, such as family and friends of the deceased individual, the public location of the stone allows anyone to lay eyes on it. According to Richard Morris's essay, "Death on Display", tombstones may be used for a variety of purposes, such as remembering a loved one or to remind the living that our permanent home is not here on Earth, or even both. Tombstones can serve as a crucial reminder to the living that death is, in fact, real, and we must embrace its reality, for it is a concept that is easily overlooked in society today (that is, until it takes one of our very own). tombstones can also signify the beauty of nature and stabilize a connection between the dead and the living, as certain aspects of the stones can signify meaning. All in all, each gravestone is different in its own way, rehearsing cultural lessons which radiate in multiple directions. Its just a matter of whether or not a gravestone catches the eye of a certain part of the overall audience or not. Either way, Tombstones aren't going anywhere, as they are located in a specific location and will stay in said location to commemorate our loved ones, or remind us of the overall sanctity of life and nature.