Stigma of Death

Dishonesty about the circumstances surrounding a death casts a stigma over the event. The silence of those who know the circumstances can have profound effects on future generations. It is because Louise’s mother never talked honestly with her about death that Louise decides to be brutally honest with her own daughter when her grandparents died, a decision that Louise soon realizes is not ideal either. Louise remembers there was always a stigma surrounding death in their house and that their mother would never acknowledge anyone’s death. Louise felt she had been traumatized by her mother’s inability to speak about death. So, she decided to be honest with Poppy. However, she learned quickly that honesty was also traumatic. It is only later, after Mark and Louise learn the real cause of Freddie’s death that they begin to understand why their mother...