Death in Literature

Abstract

This chapter constructs a framework for understanding depictions of death in literature and illustrates this framework with critical commentary on three short stories. The framework makes use of ideas from evolutionary psychology, human life history theory, terror management theory, the psychology of meaning, the psychology of fiction, and evolutionary literary theory. This chapter explains why humans create literary depictions of death, describes how imaginative meaning works in literature, characterizes the emotions evoked in literary depictions of death, and characterizes the attitudes toward death adopted by authors and characters. After constructing this theoretical framework, the chapter gives examples of literature that describe the whole span of an individual human life, then uses three short stories that focus on specific themes in human life history. Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” illustrates survival as a motive. Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl” illustrates death in childhood. D.H. Lawrence’s “Odour of Chrysanthemums” illustrates death in an intimate pair bond. A final section summarizes the state of research in the main fields that have contributed to the theoretical framework and suggests directions for further development.