Tag Archives: Literature

“2BRO2B” by Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. plays with complex themes of aging and death in his 1962 short story “2BRO2B”

On the surface, 2BRO2B is an incredibly dark satire portraying a bleak future where death is militantly maintained by the government. As we are introduced to a futuristic society in which death and aging has been cured, and the population … Continue reading

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“Meditation XVII” by John Donne

John Donne helps us see that we are all connected, even in death

You have probably heard the famous phrase “No man is an island,” whether in a classroom, or being quoted by one of your more pretentious friends. But you might be less familiar with the piece of writing this expression originates from: … Continue reading

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Author Jorge Luis Borges on Time and Death

The Argentinian writer believed that life and death are, perhaps, all a dream

Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges had an interesting perspective on time and death. He also had an amazing talent and tendency to nail a truth down in one to three sentences. So precise with words was Borges, that he managed … Continue reading

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Does “Sick Lit” Romanticize Dying for Teens?

The young adult genre deals with sensitive issues like death, illness, and suicide.

“Sick lit”, a sub-genre of literature that features characters who are struggling with physical or mental illness, or coping with issues like suicide or self-mutilation, or loss, has created a bit of a buzz in the media lately. The novels … Continue reading

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“Mid-Term Break” by Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney's "Mid-Term Break" is raw, real

Seamus Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995 for his poetry, and it is no wonder why; his works have their own beauty and rhythm that gives them a kind of musical quality. One of his poems, … Continue reading

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“Requiem” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson drives a crucial point home

I’ve been thinking a lot about boldness lately, about saying what you want to say when you want to say it. This concept of simply stating what you mean is certainly at work in “Requiem,” by Robert Louis Stevenson, one … Continue reading

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