The intention of this term paper is to describe human behavior in the face of imminent death in general and, based on this topic, to analyze and compare it by using two short stories. The first story, "The Last Night of the World" by Ray Bradbury, deals with the simultaneous death of all people on the same day. All adults seem to have had the same dream that the world would end on this night. The story is about a couple and how they spend their final evening together. It specifically expresses their behavior and thoughts in their probably last hours.
The second story, "The Knowers" by Helen Phillips, is about the prediction of the exact date of someone’s death. The author describes a couple with very different opinions on whether they want to know their personal date. Against her husband’s wish, the wife decides to learn her date of death and only reveals the day and month to him, but not the year. The behavior, thoughts, and feelings of the characters during the years until the expected date are described precisely. Both short stories are primarily concerned with how the characters behave after knowing the exact date of their deaths. There are many similarities, but also some differences, which are compared after the analysis of each individual story.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
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I. What would happen if we were told the exact date of our death?
- How does human behaviour change in the awareness of the date of death?
- "The Last Night of the World" by Ray Bradbury
- Summary
- Analysis of the setting, the characters, and their behaviour
- Influence of the historical situation on the characters' behaviour
- The effects of language.
- Meaning of the story.
- Ray Bradbury's biography and influences on his writing
- "The Knowers" by Helen Phillips
- Summary
- Analysis of the setting, the characters, and their behaviour
- Influence of the timeline on the characters' behaviour
- The effects of language.
- Meaning of the story.
- Helen Phillips' biography and influences on her writing.
- Comparison of the effects on human behaviour in the two short stories.
- II. Knowing the date of death and its effects on human behaviour
- How does human behaviour change in the awareness of the date of death?
- III. Should we perhaps all know our date of death to live a better life?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper explores the concept of human behaviour in the face of imminent death. It analyzes how knowledge of one's death date might impact individual actions, thoughts, and relationships. The paper utilizes two short stories, "The Last Night of the World" by Ray Bradbury and "The Knowers" by Helen Phillips, to illustrate and compare different reactions to impending mortality.
- Impact of knowing one's death date on human behaviour
- Similarities and differences in human behaviour in the face of imminent death
- Analysis of character behaviour and motivations in the two short stories
- The role of language and storytelling in exploring themes of death and mortality
- The impact of historical and societal context on individual perspectives
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter examines the theoretical implications of knowing one's death date, drawing on existing research and psychology. It explores the potential effects on individuals, their relationships, and their overall approach to life.
The second chapter focuses on "The Last Night of the World" by Ray Bradbury, summarizing the plot and analyzing the characters' behaviour in the face of a collective, inevitable demise. It examines how the story portrays individual reactions, relationships, and the psychological impact of knowing the world's end is imminent.
The third chapter focuses on "The Knowers" by Helen Phillips, summarizing the plot and analyzing how the characters react to the knowledge of an individual's death date. It examines the impact of the time-frame, the emotional response to the predicted death, and the role of communication and relationships in coping with impending mortality.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on human behaviour, death, mortality, short stories, literary analysis, Ray Bradbury, Helen Phillips, "The Last Night of the World," "The Knowers," death date, psychological impact, time frame, relationships, language, narrative, historical context, and societal influences.
- Quote paper
- Anonymous,, 2021, An Analysis of Human Behaviour in the Face of Imminent Death in Two Short Stories, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1280556
