The topic question is : How have
mortuary rituals changed in America over the past 100 years.
Over the last one hundred years has
encompassed changes beginning in the 20th century (a period between January 1,
1901and December 31, 2000) and the 21st century (beginning January 1, 2001, to
the present day) There have been changes to our experience of dying and the
mortuary rituals. As our perceptions of death have changed, so have rituals.
During my research, I came across a
site called deathreference, and it has a section called the encyclopedia of
Death and Dying.
The funeral industry in American
emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War, picking up steam at the turn of the
twentieth century and gaining economic power by the middle of the century.
Although the industry has long been the object of scathing public attacks,
local funeral homes across the country have won respect as established and
trusted places of business and as a source of comfort for families suffering
from the loss of a close friend or relative. Variously called
"undertakers," "funeral directors," and
"morticians," America's new ritual specialists have transformed the
twentieth-century experience of death and body disposal.
source:Encyclopedia of Death and Dying (n.d.). Funeral Industry - rituals, world, burial, body, life, customs, history, time, human. Retrieved September 14, 2013, from http://www.deathreference.com/En-Gh/Funeral-Industry.html
At the visitation, also called a
"wake" or "viewing", the body of the deceased, who
has been embalmed, is placed on display in a casket. The viewing often takes
place on an evening a day or two before the funeral service. During the
wake, the immediate family greets friends and others relatives of the deceased
in a social gathering. Photos have been shown at the wakes of the life of the deceased. This was not always done in the past.
In the past, after a small service
was performed with no frills and the body was buried, some just went on with their days work
but now some have luncheons after the burial of the body. This is a change in
rituals.
Source:
Source:
The Funeral
Source (n.d.). U.S. Funeral
Customs & Traditions- Funeral Traditions: The Funeral Source.
Retrieved September 14, 2013, from http://thefuneralsource.org/trad01.html
The ritual of the luncheon was not
always present so this is one of the changes that has developed over time.
I also became aware of the Department of consumer affairs, cemetery and funeral bureau during my research.
I also became aware of the Department of consumer affairs, cemetery and funeral bureau during my research.
Department of
Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (n.d.). FAQs - Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.
Retrieved September 14, 2013, from http://www.cfb.ca.gov/about_us/faqs.shtml
Good that you have your topic question posted. Now, I would recommend that you think about how you will approach your research over the course of the semester before jumping right in. Do you want to proceed chronologically, starting at the turn of the twentieth century? Or, do you want to look at different topics related to death in the twentieth century? I would recommend that you decide on a plan and tell us about that in the blog.
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