Pink: Prof. Young’s outline
Red: My interpretation of the outline
Black: My first constructive argument
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Introduction - The rhetorical demand, justifies the topic and its relevancy.
WHY THIS TOPIC IS RELEVANT/IMPORTANT:
In 2010, the CDC reported that 2,515,458 people died in the United States. This means that many of the exponential numbers of family and friends of those 2,515,458 people were faced with the decision of viewing their deceased relatives before cremation or burial of the body. According to Howard C. Raether, “there is almost daily confirmation...in the news media...that viewing the remains of a deceased loved one is psychologically important” (The Wilbert Updater). With death as such a prevalent part of life, it is important that Americans understand how important a viewing of the deceased is.
Thesis Proposition - Declarative sentence, neutrally phrased, indicating direction of change from status quo.
MY TOPIC AND ARGUMENT ABOUT IT
(I don’t understand how an argumentative thesis should be “neutrally phrased”):
Americans may underestimate the value of viewing their deceased loved ones before burial or cremation. Clinical psychologists argue that a viewing assists in the grief process by providing healing opportunities and closure that cannot be achieved without one. More bereaved survivors should take advantage of a traditional viewing.
Define key terms
WORDS YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND:
- Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness. Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them such as a viewing. When done properly and coupled with some restoration, it can give people a positive lasting impression of their loved one.
Issue A: A Significant Phenomenon exists.
THE PROBLEM THAT MY THESIS & ARGUMENT SOLVES:
More Americans are choosing to forgo traditional viewings. They underestimate the value of viewing deceased loved ones before burial or cremation. As cremation has increased dramatically over the last decade, the number of viewings have significantly decreased.
Claim 1:
HOW MY THESIS & ARGUMENT SOLVE THE PROBLEM:
The grief process is halted in a unhealthy way without a viewing
facilitated by embalming. In 1969, American Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross wrote a groundbreaking book on death and dying in which she outlined five stages of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. This model is widely used and considered when dealing with death still today. Although it may take some time to move through the steps, viewing the deceased body can help us move towards the fourth and final step of acceptance.
Warrants: Evidence. ( Tell us the reason the claim is true. Link the evidence with the claim.)
WHY MY ARGUMENT SOLVES THE PROBLEM:
When we see the deceased in a pleasant manner, we are more likely to
accept the fact that our loved one has died. Thus, our denial, converts to acceptance. Viewings help mourners progress through the stages of grief.
Grounds 1:
SUPPORTING IDEAS/EXAMPLES/FACTS FOR MY CLAIM:
In a personal experience, one grieving widow who chose not to view her late husband before cremation lamented: "are you sure he was dead? I never really got the chance to say goodbye." A viewing, public or private would have given her a medium to calm her fears and to properly say goodbye prior to his cremation.
A Viewing provided by embalming provides formal time for mourners to accept the reality of death. Most people have a "see it to believe it" mentality. This is especially true when it comes to death. A viewing allows the gathering of community to support the bereaved survivors and provides a formal time accept death.
According to the stages of grief, immediately upon the death of a loved one, a grieving person may be in denial. This is not all bad and helps us get past those first initial hours and days. This can be detrimental however if not moved past. Denial can cause one to not want to do anything or just want it to be over with as soon as possible. This does not allow time and a medium to properly grieve. This may satisfy one's short-term needs but will give them nothing to draw from down the road when the thought of their loved one re-surfaces. Long term denial can inhibit our ability to completely recover from the loss of a loved one.
Claim 2: (The phenomenon is significant)
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH MY SOLUTION/THESIS/ARGUMENT:
Warrant 2: (There are commonly two warrants here: short term, long term.) Immediate harms include..., long reaching harms include… BAD STUFF THAT HAPPENS IF MY SOLUTION/THESIS/ARGUMENT IS NOT ACCEPTED/ACTED UPON:
Often times, family members have had a front row seat to witness the debilitating effects of a long-term illness. A viewing can sooth and even repair memories of suffering loved ones before their death.
Grounds 2: (There should be figures and stats here, research with specific examples, narratives about impacts or social issues.):
SUPPORTING IDEAS/EXAMPLES/FACTS FOR MY CLAIM
Many times I hear the phrase, "I just want to remember them the way they were." While acknowledging that there are many manners of death and that death preys upon both the young and old, for many people, the "way they were" was sick in bed and miserable. In this way, the embalming process allows the physical effects of illness to be erased. This often causes bereaved family members to exclaim, "thank you, he/she hasn't looked that good or peaceful in years!" A viewing is the only way to achieve this. A viewing provided by embalming and restoration, when done correctly, offers a positive memory for the bereaved survivor.
Opponents may argue that when death comes by way of accident or some other
traumatic event, viewing the body "as is" may not be a positive thing for the family. The embalming and restoration processes can correct many minor effects of an accident and allow victims to be seen in a state of peace. It is in these unfortunate instances that family members often request to hold the hand or arm of a loved one as a means to some closure. A viewing can consist of a partial viewing of the body of the deceased.
There have been several instances in my career that a family has been entertaining the idea of having a closed casket. It is not until they see the deceased that they end up wanting the casket open for the viewing and are delightfully surprised at the appearance of their loved one in a state of peace.
Issue B: The phenomenon's cause can be identified.
WHY IS THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING?
Claim 3:
With cremation on the rise, the formality of traditional affairs and etiquette are on the
decline, and an overwhelming lack of interpersonal connections happening face-to-face, more survivors of deceased Americans are choosing to forgo viewings than ever before.
Warrant 3: There may be multiple causes and they should have their own warrants with appropriate grounds for each, ie; W3a-G3a, W3b-G3b, etc.
EXPLAIN HOW THESE THINGS HELP CREATE THE PROBLEM:
- Americans may not realize they can have a viewing AND cremation.
- They underestimate the value of a communal gathering of survivors.
- Increase in the use of technology for communications has led to the devaluation of face-to-face interpersonal connections, especially within younger generations.
Grounds 3: Evidence, testimony.
SUPPORTING IDEAS/EXAMPLES/FACTS FOR MY CLAIM:
- The number of viewings is decreasing as the number of cremations is rising.
- Instead of thought of as therapeutic, the very act of planning the funeral service or a formal viewing event may be viewed by some as a forced obligation to communicate, make decisions, and interact with others.
Underview or Conclusion: Summarize keys points, relate back to the thesis and show that you've made your point. Close with a statement of significance. NO VALUES, NO SOLUTION HERE. That comes in the second constructive. Draw an objective conclusion about what the facts reveal.
CLOSING REMARKS/SUMMARY:
The choice to have viewing can lead to other healthy mediums to grieve. One of those is a funeral.
The Funeral (and viewing): Helps confirm the reality and finality of death. Provides a climate for mourning and the expression of grief. Allows the sorrows of one to become the sorrows of many. Is one of the few times love is given and not expected in return. Is a vehicle for the community to pay its respects. Encourages the affirmation of religious faith. Is a declaration of religious faith. Is a declaration that a life has been lived as a well as a sociological statement that a death has occurred (The Funeral From Ancient Egypt to Present Day America).
A viewing allows us to remember and honor a loved one in a special way.
Some families or individuals may not see the value of a viewing and even view it as a painful experience and just want to avoid it all together. While you may not care what happens to your remains following death, do not deny your family to heal through viewing, funeral or memorialization by telling them to do nothing. If the immediate family wishes not to view, arrangements should be made for others in the family to if they so desire.
When we say to our children, "just put me in a pine box and bury me in the back yard" we can miss out on a great opportunity to pass on our own legacy. Funerals often facilitate the re-uniting of distant extended family members or estranged children.
My point is to simply add a viewing to whatever funeral and/or burial plans exist.
Want cremation? Fine, view the un-embalmed body in a pleasant state before it takes place. Don't want a funeral? Have a memorial service. Don't want a public viewing? Have a private family viewing. But, do something. I realize that funerals are expensive and not for everyone. Just today, I met with a woman wanting to make her own arrangements. Her comment to me was, "send me roses now, not when I'm dead." She has no desire to have a viewing service for herself. Her argument is that her children and other loved ones should express their love to her now, not by spending thousands of dollars trying to do it later on. I have to admit, I don't disagree with her desire for expression now. However, her children may feel otherwise when the time comes and wish to view her or memorialize her. You don't have to be extravagant to do that. A simple memorial service at a restaurant, club house or city park will at least give the living an opportunity to initiate the grief process through a viewing of the deceased.
