Mourning Public Figures

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It is common knowledge to assume mourning over someone’s death. Grieving over one’s loss as well as recalling fond memories of the individual who has passed are just some of the conventional ways to mourn. However, in today’s day in age this solemn act of mourning has become grossly exploited when it comes to mourning of public figures. In Diana Taylor’s essay, “False Identifications” she goes into in depth analysis on precisely this and what that, in turn, says about society overall. This essay will compare the public acts of mourning of Princess Diana and Farrah Fawcett; in addition to contrasting the different roles the media has played between the twelve-year difference of the deaths.

In the year 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana was felt by nearly everyone as her groundbreaking life screeched to a halt. Princess Diana despite living in the public eye and in turmoil at home, she devoted herself to humanitarian work. Furthermore, she broke traditions within the royal family and forevermore left her legacy on England’s monarchy and the English people alike. Parades of the grandest caliber were held by the royal family were published on TV and splattered on newsstands; mourning was even felt over seas as a New York graffiti artist Chico painted murals to pay tribute to her life. Grief indeed was being displayed everywhere in different ways, Taylor suggests the media is the reason for such widespread acts.

An interesting statement made by her is “Funerals have long served to channel and control grief. But this televised funeral, with its insistence on participation, seemed to provoke the very emotions it was designed to channel” (236). It is peculiar to consider how grief because of being televised seemed to spread eve...

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...ents draw us closer and even more so if we are constantly reminded of our loss. That is a power to recognize and the media should learn to use it more cautiously, and at least try to make it for the greater good of humanity, not just to capitalize on a death temporarily. For as the death of these major people in society left an everlasting mark the media can too contribute to making a difference. If the media can harness their collective power and channel it into more humanitarian efforts, then there is hope for them yet.

Works Cited
"Farrah Fawcett." 2010. Biography.com. 21 Jan 2010, 09:38 http://www.biography.com/articles/Farrah-Fawcett-9542358

Barrios, Barclay. "False Identifications." Emerging A Reader. 'Comp'. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print.

McNamara, Mary. "Farrah Fawcett: a legacy bigger than her hair." Los Angeles Times 26 Jun 2009, Print.

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