Vought1

Annabelle Vought
Mr. Jose Fiallos
LAE3333
26 September 2014
Literary Lingering #1: When the Body Fails
I found the style of writing and experience in A Passage to India to be more relatable than that
of The Man Who Fell out of Bed. I feel that the old man was not ready to come to terms with the idea of
death, and expressed this fear through denial and aggression. Unlike the old man, Bhagawhandi spent
her life becoming familiar with death. Her fear had subsided and she was ready to leave her physical
state of being. I admire Bhagawhandi's ability to cope with death. I have always imagined my death to
be a time that is celebrated rather than mourned. I know that is much to ask from my loved ones, but
the thought of having a dark, depressing funeral would make me roll over in the grave. I feel she was
spiritually rewarded for enduring years of pain and uncertainty while still remaining positive. At some
point in time, I recall reading an article about body parts that function after death, the brain being the
most interesting. The brain can function up to 12 minutes after death. In this time, an individual can
experience a sense of euphoria, or dream state, much like the images Bhagawandi imagined. This really
made me question the clich of life flashes before you eyes right before you die. It could be highly
possible that the dream state you are in, is a collection of memories and experiences of your life time.
The story of Bhagawandi was not a matter of her body failing but her mind fleeting.