I'm On a Cruise Ship?

1567 Words7 Pages
I’m on a Cruise Ship? “The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you. […] Why lie around on your back when you can do something interesting and new, something useful” (Roach 9)? In her book Stiff, Mary Roach leads her readers on a journey through the compelling story of our bodies when we are no longer with them by way of exploring a variety of postmortem careers, like surgical practice, impact studies, anatomical studies, religious studies, and even less appealing choices such as cannibalism. In taking her readers on this journey, Roach sought to inform them about the strange and important lives of people postmortem, something which is rarely thought about or discussed. She accomplishes this through the use of syntax, a wide variety of facts, and well placed humor. One of the initial things the reader will notice is the way the text is presented, and Mary Roach definitely uses syntax to her advantage. Roach writes in first person, which is unusual for a non-fiction book. By doing this, she makes the book read like a narrative, providing the text with intimacy. This also reminds the reader that she actually did everything she talks about in her book, establishing her credibility. Another thing she does is write in third person, which gives the text a whole new feel. It makes the story less informal and more objective. Additionally, it helps give an unbiased telling of some of the historical aspects in the story while still allowing for personal commentary. A third example of her use of syntax is the fact that she makes the tone very respectful and humanizes the stories in light of the uncomfortable topic. For example, Roach gives every cadaver a name and a unique purpose.
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