Journal #6

From what we have learned in class about everyday writing, I know that everyday writing is writing that does not occur in any type of institution and can have a personal meaning or connection to someone. At first I was not really sure if I could consider tombstones to be everyday writing, but after reading the article “Death on Display” and from the other examples of everyday writing discussed in class, I now consider tombstones to be another example to add to the list. Like snowflakes, no two tombstones are exactly alike. Each tombstone represents an individual person, has different sizes, designs, and texts. Tombstones can be considered everyday writing because they consist of a setting and place. For example, Arlington National Cemetery is used as a military burial site for those killed in action. As Jami mentioned, you have the ability to tell a lot about a person from their tombstone alone. From a tombstone being placed in Arlington National Cemetery, you can tell that a person who has been buried there served in the military.

As Claire mentioned, her friend’s grandmother wanted to be buried in Ireland because that is where she spent most of her lifetime. Her friend’s grandmother also had a Celtic cross put on her tombstone because it was personal to her.  This exemplifies how tombstones can have personal meaning because they have the ability to be placed wherever that person found special or important to themselves. Also choosing what to put onto the tombstone can have a particular significance to that individual.