Reflection of the Novel

“A Fine and Private Place” Reflection
A book of Hope!
I liked this book, but I have to say that it was quite a stretch of the imagination for me. I hold very strong beliefs about what happens after life. The creativity the author used and the love story he created in that kept me reading. I think Beagle did a great job of catching the reader’s attention in the beginning of the novel when Michael wakes up in a casket. This really was a way to start the book off with an unusual storyline.
I think Rebeck represents man-kind and our resistance to change. I think we all go through a time where we have to be open to change. Rebeck was not ready for the turn over in his life of bankruptcy and losing the one thing he loved which was helping people at the pharmacy. He lost hope much like the newly deceased that he would begin helping as they passed through this part of the after-life.
After this happens though I think Rebeck and the rest of the characters begin to realize they are going through a rejuvenating transformation into a new thing. Rebeck starts realizing he can help people in a whole new way, in a way he never imagined. There was no future to look forward to of good health for these people or a drug that can make them better again; these people were hungry and desiring a hope for something more.
There is love and romance in this book, but on a level none of us could understand. I think we get so caught up in life sometimes that we forget what really matters. We forget to slow down and remember why we love who we love. Michael and Laura have nothing left to offer each other except their love. Money, houses, cars and all of those things held no purpose to them anymore. They truly just wanted to have the hope of happiness.
We fail to acknowledge that everyday we can get up and be alive, have a career, breath, walk…The characters in this book had to fight all the time to remember these things so that they could have something to call an afterlife. These characters had eternity to reflect on memories of the lives they made when living.
We take for granted a lot of things that theoretically in this book could mean worlds of difference after life. Sitting, walking, standing, and all the things we do every day were an effortful battle for the characters like Laura and Michael. As time passes the ghosts and Mr. Rebeck develop an unusual relationship. Rebeck is trying everything to continue his passion of helping people even if that means leaving the living and helping the dead. What he doesn’t realize is that in doing this he is reviving himself back to life along with Mrs. Klapper’s help.
The theme that I would have to choose from the book would have to be hope. We talked about in class that you cannot be in a cemetery without at least glimpsing at the after-life. This book provides an unusual perspective about what happens when the deceased come to cross over to whatever is after death. There is a hidden message of hope for the living and the dead. Rebeck faces some change and turns to a place where he thought he and his dead spirit could go. He ends up finding hope and giving hope in the place he thought surely everything was dead.
What this entire novel comes down to is not really about death. I think that is how I was able to read it with interest is because it was really about life. Even with the far-fetched plot and characters, the author did a wonderful job of creating a story of hope. Beagle was trying to show us to slow down and smell the roses. Take every breath as if it was your last and cherish the moments we spend alive. He wrote this book to tell us in a magical and unexpected way to wake up, make memories, love life while its here. If at the end all we were left with was the memories of our lives and our consciousness, how would we feel about how we lived?

Final Reflection

It has been quite journey learning about Spring Grove, but I must say it has transformed on some small level. It has made me think about things in a way I never thought I could. I have always had such a bad perspective on cemeteries. In the last ten years I have had four people very close to me die. Having to go to cemeteries for that reason alone can really make a person hate going even if its to visit the grave of a loved one. It seems like the more I visit my deceased loved ones at the grave site the sadder I become because I am thinking about how much I miss them and all the sad things associated with losing someone close. Spring Grove has really inspired me to look beyond death and see the beauty of a resting place. To be buried in a cemetery is one thing, but to be buried in a place surrounded by beautiful luscious plant life and a lake that reflects its environment doesn’t sound to eerie or sad.
Being in Spring Grove taught me something different each week. I learned so much about what these people and their families are trying to relay to us. Whether it was the huge Dexter standing tall and confident across the lake, or the small headstone that said “Gone Fishin..” I still left inspired. The time I have spent doing reflections on these class days have been full of effortful thinking about how I felt that week. Who would have ever thought I would have enjoyed spending three hours in a cemetery every week. The huge monuments and mausoleums and crypts all seemed so intriguing to me…like an untold or unfinished story. It made me think…what do I want my monument’s story to tell…what will people think of me. I have formed my own opinions about these people buried at Spring Grove, but I will never truly know their personality, their character, or their thoughts on life.
What is a cemetery? I think it is a place of rest for the living and the dead. It is a place of reflection on life. Why is a cemetery? A cemetery is because of culture. It is because we have to have closure in some manner over what happens to our loved ones. It is because we might forget to honor and acknowledge those who have passed on unless there is a place to remember them.
Our society teaches us to respect the dead, but we see many cemeteries in ruins locally. The family has passed and now what are we to do with all of these people and their stories. I learned a lot this term about why it is and not just how or what. It really helped to split the topics up into very specific bits of information about iconography, plant life, and burial customs. It was not every week I had something philosophical to reflect on, but some weeks like the one we took the class over to the memorial mausoleum. That particular class still has me thinking about being put under ground or being cremated, and I never thought I would be thinking of being cremated. The stories in stone book helped me better understand the lives and stories of the people buried at Spring Grove and the book “A Fine and Private Place” helped the mysteries of the unseen come to life. We received concrete teaching about the things one can see, touch, and hear. We also were subconsciously reflecting personally about what we saw and how it made us feel. This class was an awesome experience. It has changed my outlook on all cemeteries and I think anyone who looks at them like I did needs to experience Spring Grove. Being around that much history and beauty and associating it with a cemetery was more than therapeutic it was spiritually awakening.

Week 8 Reflection

We had quite a discussion on Thursday. I wanted to write down like everything that man said about everthing. He really said a lot in just a few words. I loved hearing about his experience and perspective of the cemetery. I was thinking about the comment I made a few weeks ago about the cemetery being diversity at its finest because after death prejudice has really no place in a cemetery...but there seems to be a level of arrogance at Spring Gorve. I mean some of these people put so much effort and money into these huge monuments and mausoleums just so they can portray that they had money..or were a big deal or whaterver..maybe to honor the family but still there is a part of me that has to thnk about the small gravestones in the back. I mean there is an entire class built around the beauty of the huge monuments in spring Grove and how interesting they are. It makes me think that even after death there has to at least be a monument that represents prejudice even if it is just for the lower class people. So diversity at its finest..not really I guess...maybe diversity at its deadest...
Also, I was thinking about nature by design, is it real? fake? Well the beauty and livelihood of the plants makes it real enough for me...

Reflection of Week 7

Luke 9:59-62 But he said to him, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' 60 But he said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'

We have been talking alot about buring our dead being something that is for the living. These huge monuments and things are only for the ones who were left behind by their loved one. But why are we so stuck on the idea of going back to this burial place where all that is left is the body and remains of that person....no soul....no memories....no personality...if anything I think it would be a better custom to not go visit the burial site...whenever I go to see my grandfathers grave all I can think about is how much I miss him and how hes not here anymore....but if I only remembered the good memories while I'm sitting at home looking at pictures...his death doesen't hurt so bad. I don't know. Thats why I really like this verse from Luke in the bible, let the living who are dead in spirit go and bury the dead while I go on living and doing what I gotta do. Why revisit a dead thing with no life???
Anyways I thought a lot this week about also being buried underground. I know that at a funeral that is the worst part..to see my loved one go under the surface of the earth...maybe a public mausoleum is not such a wierd idea..??? Still thinking on it....

Reflecting on Week 6

Well, throughout the past 6 weeks my perspective of cemeteries has really changed. It is just wierd finding myself thinking about my own grave site, monument, and legacy. What a strange thing to be thinking about at 20 years old...where do I want to be buried?....what do I want my monument to say?..look like?...I don't know...my hope is that I will not be a seedless fruit..you know like the ones that are organically manipulated to not have seeds....because then once I'm gone..I'm gone...no I want to leave a legacy when I am gone from this world...I hope that I touch enough lives with my own for people to remember me not because they have to but because I was an inspiration...Yes it would be nice to have a nice oblisque or mausoleum...but if I can't afford that I think I can settle for changing people's lives by the way I live my own!

Reflection on Week 5

This week it was particularly interesting to find out about the local cemeteries in the others towns and villages. It is wierd how everywhere I go since this class I keep out an extra look for old cemeteries hidden in different places. I find myself stopping off on the side of the road often to just look at the different gravestones and iconography. I think I have about drove my husband insane. Whenever we pass an interesting cemetery I want to talk about what the cherubs, veils, and tall monuments are. I was also thinking alot about what Marcha said about what we are supposed to do with cemeteries when theyre no longer active, the family has perished, and we are left with a lawn full of stone. Also, here are some more metaphors I have come up with this week..some more abstract than others..
A cemetery is a reason to visit the dead.
A cemetery is a playground for the soul.
A cemetery is an artshow for the makers of monuments.
A cemetery is a place for the forgotten who wish to be remembered.
A cemetery is a broken organized refridgerator where everything goes spoiled.
A cemetery is an individualized hotel for the dead.
A cemetery is full of seeds planted to grow no more.

Local Cemetery Project

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Local Cemetery Project

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