I can remember how when I was young I believed death to be a phenomenon of the body; now I know it to be merely a function of the mind - and that of the minds of the ones who suffer the bereavement. The nihilists say it is the end; the fundamentalists, the beginning; when in reality it is no more than a single tenant or family moving out of a tenement or a town.
In William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," the speaker reflects on their evolving understanding of death. Initially viewed as a physical event, they have come to see death as a mental process, affecting not just the deceased but also those left behind who experience grief. This shift in perspective indicates a deeper recognition of the emotional complexity surrounding loss.
The quote contrasts nihilistic and fundamentalist views on death, suggesting that rather than being a definitive end or a new beginning, death is more akin to a family moving out of a home. This analogy illustrates the transient nature of existence and highlights the personal and communal impacts of grieving, emphasizing how loss resonates within the minds of those who mourn.
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