Behind The Formaldehyde Curtain Summary

Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain by Jessica Mitford is an essay about the unknown life of a corpse once it has entered the funeral home. The procedures involved with embalming are curious to the author, she finds it odd that such a practice would become common in North America but not elsewhere. It’s curious to her that so little is known about the ordeal yet no one questions it, and even though there are laws about everything else it’s somewhat shocking that there are no laws or permissions given for this invasive treatment. Reading the book titled Principles and Practices of Embalming Mitford determines that embalmers feel that it is their duty to perform their practice as it would be uncouth to ask or morbid for a loved one to request the …show more content…
It is an easy read as it draws in the audience with its imagery. It gives the reader a sense that they are being let in on a secret. Mitford goes into great detail of the morbid matter at hand, her words give an orchestrated, elaborate feel to the macabre. She uses this ballet of words to depict the view of the embalmer while giving us the details at hand to show how invasively gruesome. She performs her role in informing and enlightening with expertise. She wants to inform her reader of how the process is terribly wonderful, how if the world really knew what goes on they may all choose to never have this done again, but how incredibly joyous the process is to the loved ones who feel at peace seeing the unnatural life that has been injected into the dead. There is almost an ironic tone to her words and she leaves the reader unsure of her opinion on the matter. The reader also could be left with uncertainty of their emotions due to the duel nature of the topic. Should one be horrified by the actions of the embalmer or incredibly grateful for their service? Is North America barbaric in practice, or evolved? The essay certainly brings emotions and questions to the reader. It’s informative and educational and could inspire readers to further investigate the

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