."... the ground and put the skulls on it....she smiles at me, thanked me, and turned away. Started down the road with her bundle, and ..."

How important to the living is a ritual for the dead"

As Mark discovered in the novel `Triage' war victims must be rejoiced, their memories shared and sufficient rituals held to celebrate their lives. Death is often a hardship of life but as human beings our way of grieving, of letting go; our closure comes from celebrating the lives of the dead. Remembering them at the best of times. Rituals are the gateway to grieving they stop people from becoming detached from the world. It is essential for the living to form closure for the dead, to perform the rituals on their behalf.

It is evident throughout the novel `Triage' that burials especially, or other rituals are a necessity to the closure of...