"And from afar the Voices mingle and cry/O mortal Man, remember you must die!" (197) reads the final couplet of a sonnet by Percy Mannering in Muriel Spark's Memento Mori. The various characters in the novel are elderly and the diverse ways in which they respond to telephone calls that say "Remember you must die" (8) demonstrate obstacles to the remembrance of death. Conversely, there is also a demonstration of good practices to remember and prepare for death.
Dame Lettie is the first character to begin receiving the memento phone calls; her reaction is not one of acceptance. Rather, she attests to frequent fear of death that is perpetuated by modern culture. Modern culture champions the notion of youth; there always seems to be new Ponce…show more content… Jean Taylor, formerly Charmain's housekeeper provides an excellent example for remembering death. She moves in with the grannies of Maud Long Ward and accompanies them as they await death. In response to Alec Warner, she states that "A good death doesn’t reside in the dignity of bearing but in the disposition of the soul" (170). She possesses this disposition for she has resolved to "make her suffering a voluntary affair" (15). Mrs. Taylor has embraced the fact that she will die and thus she is at peace. Following Mrs. Taylor in embracing death, is Chief Inspector Mortimer. His name relates to death, and when called upon by Dame Lettie and others to trace the mysterious phone calls he states, ". . . considering the evidence, in my opinion the offender is Death himself" (144). He is not frightened of Death and his reminder but accepts that he will die.
Further, Mrs. Taylor illustrates a helpful practice to remember death; she mediates "upon Death, the first of the Four Last Things to be ever remembered" (223). Remembering death dispels the mystery associated with it, and therefore fear diminishes. Today, practical practices could include praying the Stations of the Cross. Meditating upon Christ’s Passion, who freely embraced the cross for us gives us hope “if we endure, we shall also reign with him” (2 Timothy
