The Values of the Corpse and Abiding in the Liminal Zone

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The Value of the Corpse
Rituals can be understood as symbolic activities to help people express their thoughts and emotions regarding relevant events, including death. It follows that these rituals vary from one culture to the next. The core of the funeral ritual is usually the body of the diseased. According to Zapico (165), the body undergoes decomposition immediately after the nervous system has shut down because microorganisms can travel freely within the body with nothing to destroy them. The process begins in the gut before spreading to other areas. Eventually, the body undergoes a physical and visual transformation before the burial process. Despite its decomposition and visual transformation, this essay discusses why the corpse is an integral part of the funerary process. 
Importance of the Corpse
For status, the corpse helps mourners to acknowledge the reality of death. Wright explains that in some cases, the bereaved may fail to believe their loss until visual proof is provided. This situation arises because humans embrace death in two phases. In the first step, humans will acknowledge their loss in their minds. Intellectually, these people understand what death is and what it means for them. However, emotionally, they may experience a type of denial. Therefore, the body helps them get to the second phase of their grief which is to understand the meaning of death emotionally. 
Wright furthers that the body becomes integral to the funerary process in such cases. As a result, mourners can view their loved ones and ascertain for themselves. In some cultures, viewing the body is an entire ritual. For example, some cultures may add specific trinkets like coins as they view the body. Mathijssen (2) explains that these cultures are linked to cultural belief systems. For instance, the coin compensates the ferryman who would help ferry the deceased's soul into the next life. 
Secondly, the corpse helps to move towards the pain of loss. Mathijssen (7) argues that healthy grief requires the expression of one's grief, and painful thoughts regarding their loss and body facilitate this process. People can wail, cry, or sob over their loss in a funeral setting. In turn, other mourners are forced to concentrate on the subject of death and, ultimately, their emotions towards their loss. In other words, the presence of the body directs people to mourn their loss since they can no longer deny what lies in front of them. In addition, people feel comfortable expressing these emotions since it is in a good location. It is the only time and location when people find it socially acceptable to express sadness. 
The corpse is essential to remember the deceased. Determine (74) explains that mourners must change their relationship with the late from a physical sense to a recollection during this process. Seeing the dead body encourages mourners to begin this shift, eventually leading to healing. For instance, while viewing the body, one can begin to recollect memories of when they spent time with the late. These recollections invite other memories between the mourner and the deceased. In addition, the mourners can share these memories with others as they recall ...