Irony in on the fear of death by kubler-ross

In her essay on the fear of death, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross uses irony to signify the effects of death on individuals, basing the arguments basing her arguments on the way people ironically hide their feelings when death falls on them, pretending to be fearless. Kubler-Ross’s ironical reflection starts with the chapter’s title, “On the Fear of Death”, it is peculiar for people to fear death, when it is guaranteed that everyone will have to die. The essay signifies that man is yet to change since he still sees death as a frightening happening thus the change in habit of dealing and coping with it (Kubler-Ross, pg. Kubler-Ross’s irony reflection on the text is based on exploring the cognitive as well as physical non-sensitivity aspect of death, thus becoming something that man fears resulting to different behaviors adaptions and responses provided that it is impossible to deviate from or control it.

Kubler-Ross uses both types of irony; verbal and situational, to imply the stressful situation and the behavior a person adapts for life to appear normal even when there is a close family member who has deceased. Based on the fact that death is painful especially to the family members, man is fond of adopting a behavior or even a character that acts as a strategy to make things appear reasonable, based on the fact that the death situation is challenging. For example, the essay signifies the hidden anger among people after losing their beloved ones through adopting feelings ironically to the painful situation they have at hand. For example, a child’s dreams, which have been cut short by the death of a family member, makes the child to blame herself for the death, a situation that makes him or her feel guilty for an occasion he/she had nothing to do with.

For instance, Kubler-Ross says, “The five-year old who loses his mother is both blaming himself for her disappearance and being angry at her for having deserted him and for no longer gratifying his needs,” (Kubler-Ross, pg. It is ironical for the child to blame her/himself for the situation, instead of being angry on the real cause of the death. In real sense, the patient should be entitled to careful and righteous health care prior to her rest, dignity and peace of mind conditions. Instead, the situation ironically turns to be of great concern and due to the illness of the patient, it is therefore considered as a great financial investment. Kubler-Ross says, “If he tries to rebel, (the patient) he will be sedated and after hours of waiting and wondering whether he has the strength, ….