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Why does Dure stuff his relive's body into the valise? How would one even manage this?
Why does the narrator volunteer to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family? Is it only to get the kids to the clinic, or is there another reason?\
Although filled with superstitions, this burial is not much more odd than the burial traditions of many religions and cultures. What burial traditions do you find odd in today's society...or even in your own religion?
70 comments:
Dure stuffs his relative’s body into a valise so that the whole body will be in one place when he went back to retrieve it. Without it, the shallow grave he dug would likely have led to the body getting torn apart by animals, or in some way make the body irretrievable as a whole (getting washed away, getting trampled by farm workers, etc.). I’m not sure how one fits an entire body into a suitcase (frankly, a valise is just a fancy suitcase) but I suspect it involved chopping up the body. This would ensure that, provided the suitcase wasn’t found, the entire body would be in one place.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads because she is hoping to find the deathless man. I believe that seeing or speaking to the deathless man would provide closure for Natalia, which she was unable to obtain due to the circumstances of her grandfather’s death. Vaccinating Dure’s children may have been a secondary goal she wished to achieve, but I believe she wanted to satiate her curiosity and sense of finality at the same time when she agreed to go to the crossroads.
Although I have been fortunate enough to never have to experience a Jewish burial before, I do know of a couple of practices that strike me as odd. The body of the dead person is never allowed to be left alone, which is supposed to be a sign of respect. Burial usually takes place within 24 hours, however, so it doesn’t seem an impossible task. Dead bodies may not be cremated and embalming and the removal of organs and fluids is prohibited, although autopsies and organ donation are allowed in special circumstances. Open caskets are prohibited at the funeral, and only a simple shroud is used to cover the body. The casket must be made entirely of wood so that the body will return to earth faster, and are often drilled with holes to aid this process. The deceased is lowered into their grave and family members shovel the dirt into the grave. I was initially unaware that the latter wasn’t common practice among different religions – for many, the casket is left on top of the grave and the mourners walk away before the body is buried. Altogether, though, all burial rights are intended to show respect for the deceased and provide closure for the family.
The grandfather’s belongings are in the blue bag, such as, his watch and his other things that Natalia and her grandmother talked about on the phone. Dure puts the body remains in the valise so that it is all kept in one place so it is protected and a more proper burial, since Dure and the rest of the diggers believe that they are all sick because the relative did not have a proper burial and was angry. This is possible because it mentioned Natalia seeing someone sawing parts so the body could fit. Natalia volunteers to go to the cross roads because she wants the children to go to the clinic so they can get better. I read that in Southwest China they hang coffins off a side of a cliff because China preferred that their dead should be auspiciously displayed as possible.
At the end of the novel, Natalia says she found her grandfather’s wallet; his hat; his gloves; and his doctor’s coat, neatly folded in half. However, she does not find The Jungle Book.
Dure had safeguarded his relative by stuffing his body in the valise. I imagine Dure had placed his relative’s entire body in the valise so that it would all be in one place when he returned back to retrieve it after the war. By placing the body in the valise, it would ensure that the body was kept safe from floods, animals, or anything else that could possibly separate the body. I am not sure how Dure managed to shove an entire body into a suitcase, but it must have required some breaking of his relative’s bones.
Natalia says to Dure and the family that she will go to the crossroads on their behalf if they send the mother and the kids down to the clinic in the morning. In my opinion, however, I believe Natalia went to the crossroads with hopes that the deathless man would also be there. Natalia has many questions concerning her grandfather’s mysterious death, and she is hopeful that the deathless man will be able to provide the answers to these questions if she finds him there.
The burial tradition I find odd in today’s society is when a dead person is displayed in an open casket. I understand that it is an act of finality and helps many with the mourning process, but quite frankly, I have always found it frightening. I think people should remember their deceased friend or family member as they were when they were alive, not as they are dead, lying lifeless in a casket. Personally, I think it just intensifies the grieving process.
I think the author wants the reader to expect there to be just normal everyday things in Natalia's grandfathers bag, but I get the feeling that there is something else in there too, something much more important. But I could be wrong. I know that Dure and the others were purposefully breaking leg bones so that the body could not walk in death and bring sickness to the people who are living, but I would think you would have to break more bones than that to fit it all in.
At first I though Natalia only offered to go to the crossroads so the kids would go to the clinic, but Meridith brought up a good point in saying that maybe Natalia had hopes of seeing the deathless man.
I’m sorry if some of the content of this comment is fairly similar to Ben’s, but the Jewish rituals for death are so intriguing, it’s impossible not to discuss. Many of the traditions for Jewish mourning and burial, such as coving up all of the mirrors during shiva and burying the body across a body of water, originated from medieval superstitions and wound their way into tradition. For example, during shiva, a mourning process vaguely similar to the 40 days, tradition says Jewish mourners should cover all of their mirrors. No explanation is given as to why this should be done, and it is common belief that this is so the mourners focus on the dead and not themselves. However, this tradition can be traced back to a medieval superstition that if the soul of the dead sees itself in a mirror, it will be frightened and not pass peacefully into the afterlife. This is similar to the Jewish tradition of buying the dead across a body of water, which originated with the superstition that a soul cannot cross over a body of water, thus ensuring it cannot escape back into the living world and not cross over into the afterlife. While the practice of sitting shiva and covering mirrors are mostly reserved for the more orthodox Jews, burying a body across water is still widely practiced by most Jews today. For example, to get to the Jewish section of the Woodlawn cemetery, it is necessary to cross a bridge that leads over a wide stream. One tradition I appreciate that my family still practices is the lack of an open casket at a funeral. It is Jewish belief that one should remember someone during their more lively years and not as simply a cold, dead body, and I personally strongly believe in this. However, this tradition has taken a toll on me. It seems that for many people, a showing is a good time for someone who may not have known the dead that well to go and provide consoling for a relative of the dead that he or she might have been close to, instead of attending the funeral itself. Being uncomfortable with the concept of a showing and having never been to one, there has been a time or two when I felt obligated to support a friend but was too uncomfortable to go and show my respects.
I believe that the blue bag contains Natalia's grandfather's belongings that he had with him on his trip. I expect that when she opens the bag, she will find his copy of "The Jungle Book," his glasses, and his watch, and maybe something to do with the tiger's wife and the deathless man.
Dure stuffs his relatives body into the valise because it was probably easier to carry and less gruesome for the whole family. I think they had to either cut the body up or twist the body to fit it into the valise.
The narrator goes to the crossroads as sort of an apology for things she has done wrong along with what may come along that she does wrong. Maybe it is her way of apologizing for her sins along with what she has done to the family already.
I figured that Natalia’s grandfather’s Jungle Book, glasses, wallet, and watch would be in the blue bag.
I believe Dure stuck his relative’s body into the valise to keep him trapped, spiritually. Or maybe Dure knew that he’d have to rebury his relative’s body in the future so he kept the remains together in the valise. Dure probably had to break the body into pieces to fit it in the valise.
Natalia volunteered to go to the crossroads with the jar for Dure because of both the children and she wanted to catch whoever was taking the jars for the dead during the night. She believed she’d find the deathless man.
I don’t find many things odd in today’s burial traditions. I don’t really understand why we bury valuables with the dead; they can’t take anything with them. I think the dead’s prized possessions would be more comfort to the living people that are left behind to mourn.
Natalia's grandfather's belongings were in the bag; his clothes, The Jungle Book, glasses, watch, other little things he had on him at the time of his death.
I think Dure put the body in the case because it acted as a coffin. His body parts would not get separated and animals wouldn't feed on him. His soul and body could rest in peace. Well, that was the idea anyways.
Natalia volunteered so she could see the Mora, whom she suspected, or hoped, was the deathless man collecting souls. She wanted him to tell her more about her grandfather.
I've never thought about burials before. Even if I did find something odd, which I don't because that's just how us humans do things, I'd repect it and just see it as the living grieving and trying to comfort themselves. I think most things, even the burial itself, are more for the living's benefit; the closure, peace of mind, comfort in comforting the dead.
As others have said, the grandfather's everyday things like his watch and hat will be in the blue bag. Though what I am more focused on is what will not be in the bag. I have a feeling that The Jungle Book will not be in the bag, and in it's place will be the deathless man's coffee cup. For some reason, I feel that the deathless man has something to do with what is and is not in the blue bag. I think that The Jungle Book may have originally been in the bag but because the deathless man won the book in the bet in the beginning of the book, I think he came and got the book but ended up trading it for his coffee cup.
The narrator volunteers to go the the crossroads for Dure and his family because something doesn't sit right about their burial and everything that Dure has done. She also wants to get the kids to the clinic, but I believe she wants time to think and change something about the burial.
Though I have been lucky that I have not attended many burials, I agree that it is odd for an open casket funeral or showing. The few showings I have been to have mostly been open casket, which as others have said makes them uncomfortable. To me, it does not feel right to see the lifeless body. That's not how I want to remember someone. I understand that people want to be able to look at their loved one in the flesh for the last time, but it is not the way they should be remembered.
I think that along with the things that he carried on his person maybe a present for Natalia or something that he wanted to give to her is in the blue bag. There is obviously something more important than just his belongings otherwise she probably would have just opened it.
I think that the valise was just to make it easier to find when they looked for the cousin again. If he were buried in just a bag or cloth then he would have been gone by the time they looked for him, the suitcase helped to slow that process down. The body was most likely broken down, or chopped up in order for it to be put into the valise.
I think that Natalia wants to be a part of something that she wants the kids to go to the clinic but she is also probably curious as to what will happen with the body. Probably some part of her wants to be there so she doesn't miss out on what will take place.
I think Natalia's grandfather's belonging will be in the bag. But maybe not his copy of the Jungle Book.
Dure placed the body in the valise to ensure retrieval. The valise kept the body all in the same place, and without it, the body most likely would have been washed away or dislodged by something else due to the shallow grave. I suppose the body would have had to have been cut for it to fit.
Natalia offers to go to the crossroads in an attempt to meet the deathless man. I think she wants some sort of closure regarding what happened to her grandfather. Sending the kids to the clinic was just a side condition and not the sole reasoning behind volunteering.
I think having a funeral at all is kind of meaningless. The point of a funeral is simply to help the family, not the actual deceased. Someone may argue that holding a funeral is out of respect for the dead, but it seems funerals just turn onto a gathering of depressed people, instead of a "celebration of life" like they are portrayed as. I get that some people need the support to get through grieving, but personally i don't see that point.
I think that the blue bag contains some of Natalia's grandfather's belongings along with something that nobody may know about. I am questioning why Natalia's grandmother was so adamant that Natalia not open the blue bag and look inside. I understand her concern with disrupting the progression of the soul's 40 days, but it seems as if maybe she is fearful that the bag contains something that she does not want Natalia to see, or maybe even view herself.
Dure kept his relative's body in a valise so that it would remain together and un-disturbed. Keeping the body all in one spot made it easier for retrieval and also disposal when he uncovered the body. I am really not quite sure how he would have managed this other than severing the body into numerous pieces and then stuffing them into the valise... which is rather disturbing.
I believe the narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family for answers. I don't think the narrator quite understands the procedure that is taking place and would like to explore more and uncover some of the mystery in the acts that Dure and his family are performing. I think Dure's wife and the children are definitely important and play a factor in the narrator's voluntary act, but I think the narrator's curious mind is what overall swayed the decision.
I guess I don't find any burial traditions odd in my own religion, but I do find it so strange sometimes that we place people under the ground just to decay. The more I think about it the weirder it gets; it gives me the goosebumps. One very strange and totally disturbing burial tradition I have been experienced with is human sacrifice. I have been on three trips to Haiti, and every time we visit a human sacrifice cave. It is strange to me and so very creepy because they leave the clothes of the human that was sacrificed lying in the bottom of the caves. It is strange too because the people involved get extremely drunk before the sacrifice occurs, and then at every caves there are bags hanging in the trees. No one on any trip I have ever been on has been brave enough to open one of the bags, but I would rather never know what is inside of them. That is probably the most creepy experience with death/burial I have ever come across.
According to the novel so far, Natalia’s grandfathers’ belongings are in the blue bag. I seem to think differently though. I think it is either the deathless man’s coffee cup, or something else of equal meaning. I’m unsure of what though. I am still a little disturbed by the saying “wash the bones, bring the body, leave the heart behind.” So maybe it has to do with his heart….?
Dure placed the body in the valise to secure the idea of it not getting separated. In the chapter is said how there have been floods and dogs, and the valise would make the body stay together. If Dure was thinking the best place for the body was a valise, I don’t think he was to concerned on how it would have fit, so maybe he cut it up? But the description of when the remove the bones makes it seem like it was in an orderly manner.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and is family to attempt to meet the deathless man. Yes, she wants the children to get medical attention, but she wants an answer for her grandfathers passing
I think the blue bag is full of everything the grandmother wants. The watch and his wallet and other things like that, but I also believe that The Jungle Book story that Natalia loves, and probably the only thing Natalia really wants of her grandfather, will not be there. If the grandfather really did go to see the deathless man and find him, then the book will be gone.
Dure stuffs his relative into the valise because he wants to be able to come back and find all of the body parts to give him a proper burial. To do this, he would have had to contort the body into a smaller shape. Since the person was newly dead, it would probably have been easier to get him in the right shape, especially since he wouldn't be able to feel any pain.
I think the blue bag contains Natalia's grandpa's belongings. Inside, Natalia will find the thiings that were on him when he died, like his wallet, watch, and his hat. It seems like Jungle Book should be in the bag but I have a feeling that it has something more to do with the deathless man or Natalia's grandmother. Dure must have stuffed the body in the valise because he didn't want it to be washed away or not kept together. Though it seems that the only way he could fit the body in the vasile is by cutting it up, which doesn't really leave the integrity of the body which was really the point. The narrator volunteered to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family in hopes of meeting the deathless man. The narrator makes it seem like the act is to be helpful but it's really to find answers.
It's hard to tell. Natalia's grandmother didn't seem to know either; she just knew it was extremely secret and private.
I believe he feels the valise will protect his relative for the rest of their time.
He manages it by cutting different parts of the bones up for different reasons.
I feel that the narrator wants to get the kids to the clinic so that they can be healthy but also to try and show Dure that clinics aren't so terrible.
The body was wanted to be put in the valise to ensure that the body would stay intact and not be able to come apart in some mannor and haunt Dure's family agian, Nataila said she wanted to see the deathless man, i could understand her courosity with the stories her grandfather has told her! I think the deathless man was her main goal I think the children were just a ploy so people could reason with her or at least not talk her out of going. You find many diffrent types of rituals, the buryong process itself was used long ago, the burning used in germany, saying nice things and throwing paries is also a tradition. Me myself would like to donate my organs to hospitals, and my body to art, nothing left unused just like the idians did with animals after they died, so in my own way I am following a tradition.
The blue bag has the wallet, gloves, hat and his doctor’s coat in it that belonged to the grandfather.
Dure stuffs his relative into the valise because he wants to come back at some point and give the body a burial the right way.
It is said that in other countires, when a child dies they kill a dog to and bury it next to the child because 'dogs always find their way home'.
Strange and cruel in a way... but understandable for the logic.
I think Natalia's grandfather's belongings are in the blue bag. When Natalia went to Zdrevkov to retrieve his things the men said the bag contained his possessions, which I'm guessing are his wallet, glasses, and hat.
Dure places his relative's body into the valise so he can go back at some point to give the relative a proper burial.
I think Natalia really does want to go to the crossroads to get the kids to go to the clinic. She wants them to get better, but I also think she wanted to go to see if the deathless man showed up.
I think it's Natalia's grandfather's wallet, glasses, and hat that are in the blue bag.
Dure stuffed his relative's body in the bag to keep it in one place and so he could go back to get it to give his relative a proper burial.
I think that Natalia does go to the crossroads to get the kids to the clinc, but part of her wants to look for the deathless man.
I think the blue bag contains everything except his copy of The Jungle Book. The book, I believe, has been rightfully taken by the deathless man.
Natalia volunteers to go bury the ashes for Dure for the possibility to meet the deathless man. Judging from her trip to Zdrevkov, she believes the deathless man was with he grandfather when he died. By meeting him she may gain closure and piece of mind. Also to see if the story was true. She also might try to get the precious copy of The Jungle Book back.
The blue bag has Natalia's grandfather's things in it like his wallet, hat, gloves, and coat.
Dure stuffed his relative's body in the valise so it would all be in one place when he returned, and so animals would not get to it. I think he managed to fit the body in by cutting it up or breaking bones.
I think Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads in hopes of seeing the deathless man there. She hope that the deathless man will be able to answer her questions concerning her grandfather's death.
In the blue bag is the narrators grandfathers belonging, such as, his watch and other things. Dure stuffs his relatives body into the valise so that the body will be there when he went back to get it. I do not know how he got the whole body into the valise because a valise is just a fancy suitcase.
Natalia says to Dure and his family that she will go to the crossroads on their behalf if the kids and the mother go to the clinic in the morning. Yet i think she also is hoping to find the deathless man on the way or there. She wants to find his to shed some light on her grandfathers death.
In the blue bag there are Natalia’s grandfather’s belongings. I think that Dure would stuff his relative’s dead body into the valise because he wanted to protect the body and keep it in one place. He didn’t want to lose anything because if he had just buried it in the ground it could’ve been dug up by a by a bone or washed away like the book said. He would’ve had to break body apart to fit into a valise.
I don’t think he went to the crossroads just to get the kids to go to the clinic. I think she went to see if she could find the deathless man. She wanted to see him and maybe ask him some questions about her grandfather.
I believe that The grandfather's belongings are in the blue bag.
Dure put his relative's body in the bag so that he could keep it all in one place. He didn't want anything to get to it and take parts of or the whole body.
Natalia went to the crossroads in hopes of finding the deathless man so she can learn more about her grandfather's death.
Dure put his relative's body in the valise to keep it safe until he could return to it. He didn't want the body to separated from itself. I imagine the body had to have been cut up in order to fit into the valise.
Natalia was hoping to find the deathless man when he went to the crossroads. She also wanted to help the kids but the deathless man was the true motivation.
The blue bag would contain most of Natalia's grandfather's belongings that he had on his person when he died. The only thing I was curious about was if the Jungle Book was in the blue bag or if the deathless man actually retrieved it.
Dure stuffs the relieve's body in to a valise to contain it, so that every part of the body was togther as a whole. Also the valise was used to protect the body.
Natalia volunteers to take the body down to the crossroads in the possible hope that she might come across the deathless man. If she sees the deathless man she also hopes to see her grandfather and to make sure he made it to the crossroads safely.
Burial rights are up to your own self preference. My religion does not allow cremation, but again it depends on where your opinion lies.
The narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family because she wants to set out to see the deathless man. The narrator does want the kids to go to the clinic, however, that is not the main reason for her offering up assistance to the family. Natalia knew that her grandfather was traveling in hopes of seeing the deathless man one last time before he died so she hoped maybe she could see him and be able to figure out something more about how he died.
I don't find any burial rituals particularly far-fetched because it's up to the person in how they want to be taken care and remembered. Personally, I am not a fan of the whole open casket thing because I believe that you should remember people how they were, and all the happy memories, not by them laying there and looking like a different person.
I think that the Blue bag contains his possesions he had on him before he died.
Dure wanted to keep the body safe until he could return. I'd imagine it would have taken quite a bit of force.
Natalie volunteers to go to the cross roads because she is hoping to encounter the deathless man.
I think mummifacation is probably the oddest burial tradition.
In the blue bag, I thought it would just be the normal belongings of the grandfather. I expected his glasses, watch, and everything Natalia mentioned. However, when his book was missing, I knew it was foreshadowing something, since the book was so important to both Natalia and her grandfather.
I think Dure stuffed his relative’s body into a bag to somehow make it more religious or traditional. He wanted to make his relatives death more sacred, and nice. I am sure he just managed to stuff it the same way you stuff clothes in a suitcase.
The burial traditions I find odd, is the fact that we make our dead look alive. We take them and put make up on them, and pump them with gasses to make them look like they are just sleeping. It also freaks me out they we display our dead. I know it’s for the mourners but it makes me feel odd staring at a lifeless body.
The blue bag will have all of the possessions Natalia's grandfather had on him at the time of his death, with the possible exception of The Jungle Book.
Dure put the body in a valise to make sure the body would be in one place if anyone ever came to retrieve it. It acts as a makeshift coffin, keeping everything in one place.
The narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads in part because she wants to see the deathless man. The deathless man could answer many questions that Natalia has about her grandfather and meeting him would put solid proof behind the stories.
It was made clear later in the novel that Natalia finds her grandfather's belongings such as his wallet and watch, but does not find his book, The Jungle Book.
Dure puts the body into a valise so that the body will stay in the same area, or protect it from things that might destroy it like animals or weather. He probably managed that by dismembering the body to make it all fit.
I think the narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family partially to get the kids to go to the clinic. However, I think she was more hoping to run into the deathless man that her grandfather told her stories about and probably saw before he died.
The grandfather's belongings that were with him when he died are in the bag, but not the Jungle Book.
The body is put in the valise so that it will always be in one place and contained. To do this though, would involve dismemberment.
I think that Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads not so much because she wanted the kids to go to the clinic, but because she's looking for something or expecting something, what that something is though, I am unsure of.
I guess really anything could be in the blue bag but my guess is the grandfathers belongings like his wallet, glasses and his hat. Due left the body in the valise so he can come back later and bury it properly. The whole reason Natalia is here is to help the children at the clinc but who wouldnt be curious about the deathless man?
The blue bag could either contain the missing items that the grandfather had on him when he died, or something totally unexpected that will tell us more about the deathless man or something along those lines.
My experience with odd burials isn't one that I find uncomfortable or wrong, just one that really fascinates me. My aunt's best friend's mom died when she was in her twenties. Every year my aunt and her friend go on an exotic trip somewhere. One year Scotland, Paris, Ireland, Spain, the Canary Islands, Cancun, Rome...it goes on. Jean, my aunt's friend, had her mother cremated. When they go on the trips Jean takes a container full of some of her mother's ashes. When they find a really exciting place on their trip that she thinks her mom would love she sprinkles her mom's ashes in that spot. Some people could find this totally wrong and unsanitary, but I think it's the coolest thing ever.
I want to think that the blue bag is full of her grandfather's belongings, but it's possible that bag is full of something unexpected or something useless-or both.
I am slightly creeped out that a body would be stuffed into a suitcase, but it does make it easier for the diggers to keep the bones together. I imagine that the body was in pieces rather than folded up into the valise.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure so that she can see the deathless man gather the body for Death.
In today's society, I think that cremation is strange. Who would want their body burned to ashes once they're gone?
The bag with Natalia’s grandfather’s possessions probably contains his copy of The Jungle Book and maybe his glasses and watch. But if he did end up meeting with the deathless man before he died, it’s possible that he gave the Jungle Book to him, to fulfill the terms of their bet.
It seems gruesome that someone would stuff a loved one’s body into a suitcase, but his purpose was to make sure the body stayed together. Had he not put the body in the suitcase, it probably would have gotten eaten by animals or washed away because the makeshift grave was not deep enough to keep the body safe from those things. Even if he had to cut up the body to make it fit in the suitcase, at least the whole body is there which is better than not being able to find it at all.
Natalia volunteered to go to the crossroads to see if the deathless man would be there. She was probably hoping that if he was there, she could get some answers about her grandfather’s death. Either way, it is a win-win situation for Natalia because even if the deathless man isn’t there, she still gets the kids to the clinic, which is what she wanted since she met them.
The blue bag contains her grandfather's belongings, "In the bag I found his wallet and his hat, his gloves. I found his doctor's coat, folded neatly in half. But I did not find The Jungle Book" Pg 334
Dure put the body into the valise to keep the body together he didn't want to put it in a makeshift grave because the animals would get it or flooding would have washed it away, to fit a whole body into a suitcase he probably had to cut the body up and put the parts in the suitcase.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads to get the kids to the clinic but she also wanted to try and find the deathless man and get answers regarding her grandfather's death.
In the blue bag are all the belongings that were very dear to Natalia's grandfather. These things include his wallet, hat, watchglass, however as we find out later "The Jungle Book" is not in the blue bag.
Dure stuffs all the body into the valise because this way it is easier to dig up. This makes it so the body isn't all over the place in the ground but very easy to find and unbury. He was able to do this with very precise movements and skill.
The narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads for the Dure and his family because she truly does care that Dure and his children do receieve help and treatment. However, I believe that another reason she goes to to the crossroads is a chance to see the deathless man and to see if he can answer her questions about her grandfather's dissaperance and death.
In the blue bag there are the grandfathers belongings, such as his watch, glasses, coat and other things as well. Also maybe something that was once in the possession of the deathless man or some note about the deathless man.
Dure puts the body in the valise so they will all be in one spot so a proper burial can be given. He may have done some cutting and breaking in order to fit the body.
Natalia used the cross roads as a reason to attempt to go find the deathless man there. Her reasoning behind going was partly to help the kids and partly to find the deathless man.
I think that all of the narrator's grandfather’s possessions that the clinic had failed to send while transferring the body back home was inside the blue bag.
Dure stuffs the body inside of the valise so that he would know the entire body would stay together in one place. He probably did it with careful placing of body parts.
I think that Natalia had volunteered to help gain trust and respect from the family. If she has their trust and respect it would be easier to get them to come and get treatments for their illness. She also probably went to try and find the deathless man. Since the information given about the death of her grandfather was extremely vague and hard to understand, the narrator probably just wants information to feed her curiosity.
What was in the bag? Just the grandfathers belongings... but not The Jungle Book. Which I found surprising. However, I guess that would e to predictable.Dure put the body in the vasile to protect it from animals and flooding because the grave was so shallow. I assume he had to cut the body up quite a bit to fit it in there.
I think that Natalia's grandfathers belongings are in the blue bag. I dont think that there is anything unusual, just the normal things that were on him at the time of his death. Dure stuffed the body in the valise so the whole body is in one spot to find and nothing is spread out. He managed this by breaking some bones in the body before he put in in the valise. Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads in hopes of finding the deathless man and asking him about her grandfather.
I believe Natalia will find her grandfather’s belongings such as The Jungle Book, his glasses, and his watch in the blue bag.
I believe Dure stuffed his relative’s body in a valise to make it easier for a single person to carry to the hill. He had to break some of the larger bones in order to do this.
I believe Natalia volunteered to get the kids into the hospital. That is not the only reason, however. I believe Natalia wanted to see the deathless man as he gathered the body to prepare it for his uncle.
I think just burying someone's body in the ground is kind of gross. Bugs crawl into the caskit and their body gets destroyed. I really don't understand the point at all.
Natalia definitely volunteers to go to the crossroads fro Dure and his family to get the kids to the clinic, but she also hoping that she would find the deathless man.
I think that inside the blue bag, there is all of Natalia's grandfathers stuff, except for the jungle book. Im pretty sure dure put the body in the valise to keep it safe, from animals and other things. Natalia went to the crossroads for the deathless man and to get the kids to the clinic. I have never buried anyone or watched anyone be buried so i have no traditions.
I think just some of the grandfather’s stuff was in the blue bag.
I believe that Dure stuffed his relative’s body into the valise to keep it safe and all together. He didn’t want animals or bugs to get to the body. He was also worried about the natural elements ruining it. I have no idea how you would fit an entire body into a suit case. The only way I can think of would be to cut the body up to make it fit right.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads to get the kids to the clinic, and she wanted to find answers about her grandfather’s death.
I knew most of his possessions would be in the bag. The thing I was unsure of though is whether the Jungle Book would be in it. Even if the deathless man did not take it, the grandfather could have put it elsewhere before his death (that is if he knew that he was dying so soon). Of course it isn't so far-fetched to assume that his money would be gone but his glasses, clothes, wallet, etc. should be in the bag (especially considering the vibe I got from the guy from the bar that got her the bag as well as his knowledge that she was a relative).
Dure stuffs his relative into a valise to protect the body from animals, the elements, the separation of limbs, and quick decomposition. I assume Dure cut up his body and considering that it's very possible that his relative could have been short/skinny/small-statured so that his body could have fit into the valise.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family to get the kids to the clinic AND because she is pulled by the possibility of meeting the deathless man (especially since her thoughts are so filled with her grandfather when at any other time she would not indulge her imagination in that way).
Reading Ben Wexler's comment I realize that the burial traditions of Jews and Muslims are similar in a few ways. We also need to bury the body as soon as possible and simply wash the body and wrap it in a shroud. Also, we lower the casket and each throw soil on top to start covering it. One rule that Muslims have that might be considered odd by others is that we cannot cremate our dead and if you think about it, it makes sense since the soul's ultimate punishment is burning in hell. One practice I do find odd that is practiced by other cultures is the open casket. Even if they put make-up on the corpse and make it look life-like it's still a dead corpse. It does not honor the memory of the person and I believe that family and friends would be able to say good bye just as well without an open casket (it happens every time someone visits a grave).
I think the blue bag doesn't really have her grandfather's possesions in it, or if it does, it doesn't contain his copy of The Jungle Book.
Dure stuffed the body into the suitcase for two possible reasons; he wanted the body to stay together after it decomposed or he was afraid about not burying it deep enough and animals getting to it.
Natalia didn't really think about the decision before she made it, but it is possible that subliminally she is doing it because of her grandfather.
The only burials I have ever been to have been in the Catholic religion, and I don't really find anything odd about it. Maybe it's because I'm just used to it, but perhaps if I saw a burial that wasn't done in the Catholic way I would think differently.
I think Nataias grandfathers things are in the blue bag along with the jungle book. I think Dure stuffs his relatives body in the valise to keep it safe from the things around until he can come for it. I think Natalia volnteers to go to the crossraods to truely help the children get to the clinic but I also think she was curious about her grandfather and the deathless man. I think showings are odd because people go and look at the dead person it creeps me out I like closed caskett memorials.
I think that the blue bag contains certain belongings of the grandfather that the grandmother wants to keep safe for herself in memory of her husband. As for Dure's decision to stuff the body into a suitcase, I think that he was trying to preserve it. Although the idea is somewhat contradicting considering the fact that he had to have dismantled the body, or broken it in some way, in order to fit it in such a small container.
I looked up "odd burial customs' on google, and the first thing that came up was self-immolation, which was used in India by the Hindus. This ritual was performed on widowed wives, who would willingly lie next to their deceased husbands, and be burned alive. Even though the burial in The Tiger's Wife is odd, I do not think it is as bad as many other religions.
What’s in the blue bag? Well, before I finished the book and learned the answer to this question, I assumed all of Natalia’s grandfather’s belongings were with him, although I was uncertain on the whereabouts of the Jungle book. I knew that Natalia’s grandfather had pledged the book to the deathless man, but I wasn’t certain if the deathless man would actually take the book from him (I’m not trying to sound like the deathless man was stealing the book from her grandfather by any means). We find out at the end of the book that the Jungle book was not included in his belongings, but this is a good thing, because it ties the story up to make it sound somewhat believable.
Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family to find the deathless man. Yes, she used it as a bribe for Dure’s family to willingly receive medical care, but it was a win-win situation for Natalia.
I think that some of Natalia's grandfather's things are in the blue bag. Dure may have stuffed the body into a suitcase to keep it safe. He wanted to keep things from getting to it and to keep it in better condition. I think Natalie goes to the crossroads not only for the children but for the deathless man as well. As for odd burial traditions, I have never been to funeral or anything like that so I haven't seen anything that would seem odd to me. I'm sure there are many other countries who practice very different traditions then the usual burials or cremations.
I think that the narrator's grandfathers belongings are in the blue bag. The narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads mainly to get kids to the clinic but also to see if the deathless man would be there.
Even though this isn't exactly a modern burial tradition, I find the Egyptian pyramids to be very strange. I personally don't believe in ghosts, an afterlife on Earth, or reincarnation so I find it odd that the Egyptians buried their pharoahs with all their belongings so that they would have them after death. But, I do think it's cool the way that they preserved their bodies.
On a different note, I can't help but wonder if someday, thousands of years from now, the world will run out of space for burial. I wonder what would happen if this actually occurs...
I think that Natalia's grandfather's belongings are all there, but I think there might be something unusual. I feel as though his copy of The Jungle Book is missing, thanks to the bet he lost with the deathless man.
Natalia might be motivated to take the ashes to the crossroads because she wants to see the deathless man. Since no one was exactly sure of what her grandfather was up to when he ran off and died, I think she wants answers from the deathless man, or to learn more about her grandfather.
I think Natalia's grandfather's belongings (like his watch) will be in the bag.
Dure most likely stuffed the body in the suitcase to keep it in decent condition. He didn't want animals to get at the body. He also wanted to keep the body safe in the occurrence of a flood.
In some cultures, very elderly folk are taken to the wilderness to die. I find that very immoral.
I think Natalia's grandfather's belongings are in the blue bag. But like Ciara, I bet the copy of the Jungle Book is missing, due to his deal with the deathless man.
Natalia went to the crossroads to get the kids to go to the clinic, but I think she was also hoping that the deathless man would be there, and that he would be able to tell her more about her grandfather.
I think the contents of the blue bag will include Natalia's grandfather's glasses, his watch, and his copy of the Jungle Book.
Dure stuffs his cousin's body into the suitcase to keep all his remains together. To do this, he must have had to sever the cousin's body parts.
The narrator volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family for two reasons. The first being to get his family into the clinic, and the second to look for the deathless man. Natalia recalls from the stories of the deathless man that he often goes to crossroads to help the dead move on so she thinks she may find him there.
Personal items?? like his hat, watch, shirt.
He stuffs it in because his instructions tell him to.
She volunteers hoping to meet the deathless man.
I don't really find any traditions weird.
Dure puts his relative's body in the valise so he knows that the body will be in one piece when he comes back for it later. This way the body will be protected from the damage of animals and the environment. To get the body in the valise, I would assume that Dure has to cut up some pieces of his realtive's body to get it to fit into the valise.
I think there is more to one reason as to why Natalia is willing to go crossroads for Dure and his family. One reason is that Natalia wants to get Dure's kids to the clinic. The other reason is that Natalia is interested in getting to meet the deathless man.
I think that the grandfather's belongings are in the blue bag. I think the copy of the Jungle Book is missing though because of what happened with the deathless man.
Dure stuffs his cousin's body in the valise to keep all of the body parts together.
Natalia goes to the crossroads for Dure and his family to find the deathless man.She used it as a bribe for Dure's family to receive medical care but as stated earlier, it was a win- win situation for her.
The blue bag has grandfather's belongings that took with him on his expedition. I imagine that there is stuff relating to the tiger, tiger’s wife, and the deathless man in the bag. Dure puts the body in the valise because it is easier to carry and also easier for the family to deal with. I imagine he had to mutilate and/or butcher the body in some way to fit it into the valise. The narrator goes to the crossroads to apologize for all the pain and agony she has caused. I think cremating people is just weird. But then again our bodies are only our earthly vessels. After we die they are nothing more than a shed skin.
Dure placed the body in the suitcase to ensure it being in one place when he had to dig it up. It would also ensure the safety of the body from scavenging animals or being washed away by rain.
I believe that the narrator volunteered to take the body to the crossroads for Dure and his family so that she might have a chance to meet the Deathless man. It might give her some kind of closure. She probably also wants to get the children to the clinic.
While I'm sure Natalia wanted to get Dure and his family to the clinic so they could get the treatment they needed, she also was hoping to find the deathless man. I think it would help provide closure for her, which she hasn't really been able to achieve yet. Natalia also seems to want a deeper understanding of her grandfather, and perhaps finding the deathless man would help her.
When my great-grandmother died, my grandfather and great-aunt argued over whether or not to bury her with her engagement ring, which she had worn virtually every moment since she had gotten it some seventy years before. My great-aunt thought she should be wearing it, but my grandfather thought it would be a waste to bury a diamond. In the end, they decided to keep the ring, and I have it now. While I see my grandfather's point about not "wasting" a diamond, I feel that my great-grandmother would have wanted to be buried in it.
I think cremation is wierd. Like spreading someone's ashes in a lake or something is just wierd to me! Not to offend anyone. The blue bag contains her grandfathers possessions. His wallet and most importantly his watch. The bag is there to preserve the body and keep it in tact so no one steals it an what not.
I hope that her grandfathers things are in the bag but am afraid that she will be disappointed. Dure probably puts the bodies in bags to keep them from being easily seen or torn apart by hungry animals. Natalia will probably vaccinate the kids but that is not her main purpose in the trip. I think that cremation can be a strange burial especially when the deceased wants to be fed to their favorite pet or anything like that.
a suitcase is the most obvious place to hide a body. noone would think that a body would even be in there! she volunteers to go to the crossroads because she would very much like to meet the deathless man and that would probably be her best chance.
I think the blue bag contains the jungle book. Natalia volunteers to go to the crossroads for Dure and his family in hopes of finding the deathless man or her grandfather. I don’t find any burial traditions odd. Every religion has their own way of doing things that are normal to them.
Natalia went to the crossroad for Dure and his family in hope of finding the deathless man. Natalia wanted to see the deathless man to gain closure on her grandfather's death and to create a connection between her and her grandfather by both of them having met the deathless man.
Burial traditions that I find odd is actually being buried in the ground to rot. I would much rather be cremated or have my body donated to science. With donating my body to science I ensure that something useful will happen after my death. With cremation I could have someone related to me keep my ashes or have the scattered in a favorite place of mine instead of just chilling in a cemetary.
The narrator offered to go to the crossroads because she hoped the deathless man would be there. She wanted to ask him questions about her grandfather. She also felt as if this was the last chance at any contact with him. Since it had not yet been 40 days since his death there was a chance that her grandfather could be with this man and that was the only hope she had left. I find most burials rather puzzling, I would much rather celebrate someone’s life than mourn their death. Was there whole life leading up to this one moments when people gathered into a room and cried over what naturally happens? I would think there whole life was lived to do the best they could at everything and their death was a reason for their loved ones to come together and celebrate the amazing life that person created for themselves.
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