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Summary Of Stiff By Mary Roach

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I would have never thought about what my body could be used for after my death. In Stiff, written by Mary Roach, we learn about all the ways cadavers are used in Science. With this information, Roach persuades us to have an open mind about donating our bodies by informing us in an entertaining way.
Throughout the book, Roach picks interesting stories in the history of cadavers to share with her readers. These stories are so unusual to us, they make us laugh. One story was about a woman who willingly wanted to be nailed to a cross. Who would purposely do that? The thought is so preposterous it makes readers chuckle. Another preposterous thought was eating human body parts. Roach told her audience people still do cannibalism. This was a concept …show more content…

The details Roach puts in about countries killing kids for their skeletons makes feel terrible for the deaths of innocent children. She even tells us about people digging up graves for bodies or even worse, killing people for their cadavers. In Chapter 2, Roach tells her audience about how a man named William Hare sold a dead body because the person who was dead owed him money. Then, Hare continued to murder bodies once he realized how much they sold for. These sordid tales she informs readers with are so absurd they keep us fascinated with the book. Who wouldn’t want to keep reading after hearing about two headed …show more content…

This adds to every chapter by luring readers to read more. Without each chapter luring readers to read on, would we still read the book? Most people don’t like reading science text books. Roach captivates readers from the start with imagery. In chapter one, she tells us exactly what the room looked like with heads lined up in rows looking strange because they were cut off right below the chin.
Roach entertains us all throughout the book. Did it work to persuade us to have an open mind and donate your body? Roach makes readers think about what could happen if people didn’t donate their bodies using research. Not only does she talk about what if we did not, but what the cadavers could be used for. They could be used to assist cars, planes, and the army to save hundreds of people. How prodigious would that be? Even if you didn’t want to be cut open, you could be made into sculpture. She makes it sound fascinating, readers start to think what they would want to look like.
Overall, Roach doesn’t force you to donate. She leaves it up to facts. Roach justs puts a touch on the information to make you want to read about cadavers. Roach was so interested in learning, her enthusiasm makes readers have a passion to donating our

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