Writers have the ability to convey their thoughts on paper in a way that shows their personal feelings. In his essay, Shaw reveals his perception on the passing and cremation of his mother. Despite being a very heavy-hearted affair, Shaw’s attitude is light-hearted.
Imagery has a strong force on a piece of writing as it gives the reader the ability to visualize how the writer sees the world around him. In this case, Shaw uses imagery to describe his attitude toward the passing of his mother. He uses the imagery of the dreary scene of the cremation to juxtapose it with his view. “The feet burst miraculously into the streaming ribbons of garnet coloured lovely flame” depicts that Shaw sees this bleak process as joyous and beautiful. Shaw’s mother becomes the “beautiful” fire in his perspective. The use of this shows that he takes a pleasant view of the cremation. Towards the end of the piece,
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Shaw is accepting of his mother's death and cremation, which can be seen in details that illustrate this. “People think that door is the door to the furnace: but it isn’t. I went behind the scenes at the end of the service and saw the real thing. People of afraid to see it, but it is wonderful.” The imagery of him going out his way to actually see the cremation process proves Shaw is not sorrowful but laid back. People is repeated to indicate that he feels different from the mournful crowd; he is happy and believes this woeful proceeding is wonderful. Shaw chooses to include the details of the afterward, which involves two cooks sorting pieces of coffin and his mother. During this eerie operation, Shaw mentions his mother being beside him laughing. And when the separation was complete, he remarks that his mom asked him which one is her jokingly. Shaw is not sad about his mother’s death or cremation and jubilantly responds to