Sisbarro 1

Thesis Paper 2
Alexander Sisbarro

Mrs. Crist

3/18/2015

The reason the life cycle is a cycle and not just a period of time is because of
how it ends in such a sudden and unavoidable way . The ending of life, while being a
very sensitive and discomforting topic to some, has progressed extensively, especially
with modern technology at work. With the exuberant lifestyles the human race lives, not
many know that even after death, ones body is still tended to and cared for. Embalming
can be an extremely morbid and unpalatable job, while others view it as an art and a
fine career.
Embalming is not required by law in many countries, but it is still a common
practice and a tough job to have. Working any and every day because, quote the writers
of Listverse, People have a tendency to die at the most inconvenient times - The 5
Stages Of Embalming . Cleaning the body, writing countless post mortem reports and
recording all of the works process means taking care of the dead can be an extensive
endeavour that makes the already difficult job into a difficult lifestyle as well. The people
who do dedicate their lives show very little regret for their decision, and due to the
unfortunate circumstances surrounding their line of work they are very seldom shown
any respect or gratitude, making it even more of a challenge to desire the life of a
mortician.

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In the modern era, being able to make a dead person look lively again has been
formulated into a science and is practiced by only the strongest of heart, stomach, and
mind.Modern embalmers are professionals with an understanding of anatomy,
pathology, microbiology, chemistry, cosmetology and restorative art. - How Embalming
Works. The simplified procedure consists of draining the body of all fluids and allocating
formaldehyde through the entire body via one of the main arteries. Then, after the body
is cleaned and dried, cosmetic work is done to the hair and face, makeup is applied to
give him/her a more lively appearance, and the body is ready for dressing and viewing.
Every person requires special treatment and attention making all embalmings similar,
but never exactly the same. Some would even go so far as to call it an art, while many
who are unfamiliar would not agree.
While death was at one point more accepted than it is now, embalming is still a
relatively new process to be considered a normality in society. During the civil war, when
the bodies of the dead were nowhere near their homes, transportation of the deceased
was an issue. "After the funeral journey of Abraham Lincoln's embalmed body from
Washington D.C. to Springfield, (embalming) slowly gained legitimacy, Lincoln's body
served as son to those who lost children to anonymous graves." - Gary Laderman.
While it was widely accepted, many religious adherents firmly believed that embalming
would ruin the belief in the human soul and protested the action. Needless to say, that
movement was not successful and the embalming process popularity has grown
tremendously.
In a very crude sense, embalming is nothing more than making the dead less
dead. But, between the cleaning, preserving, and collecting of the endless amounts of

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dying people and the restless lifestyle that accompanies it, there is nothing crude about
it. Never in history has a topic grown so much in mainstream support while
simultaneously losing popularity and acceptance. Not only the United States, but a
majority of the world would be a much different, more death oriented society if not for
morticians and the embalming process.

Works Cited

Colmame, Frankie. "Why Has It Become Standard Practice in the U.S. to

Embalm Our

Dead?"Http://www.alternet.org/story/147435/why_has_it_become_standard_practice_in
_the_u.s._to_embalm_our_dead. Alternet, 6 July 2010. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
"The 5 Stages of Embalming." Http://listverse.com/2007/11/08/the-5-stages-ofembalming/. Listverse, 8 Nov. 2007. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
Sprouse, Elizabeth. "Chemical Embalming." HowStuffWorks.
HowStuffWorks.com, 2015. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

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