We all know we’re going to die someday. Whether it be today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now, it’s an inevitability. Oftentimes however, we don’t like to think about our own mortality. Despite it being the most natural thing in the world, we try to prolong the illusion of our own immortality, whether it be through literature or otherwise. And it’s no secret that this fear has manifested in modern fiction. The paranormal romance genre has capitalized on the thought of living forever with the one you love, no matter the cost. Horror literature has also had a hand in manipulating these fears, whether it be through violence, corruption, or torture. Even science fiction and fantasy have shown the abnormality of dying, and have often posed questions such as whether or not we truly want to live forever.

So how? How can the fear of death possibly contribute to our written works. How is it that so many genres have managed to carve out a place for themselves within this fear?

The Great Equalizer
Death has often been referred to as the great equalizer. Whether your character is rich or poor, a protagonist or antagonist, hero or villain, in the end, everyone dies. I remember reading Summer Seventeen and You by Sara Daniell. The author had set up the book to seem like a young adult romance, but then the book took a dark turn, and became much more dramatic and real. In the end, the protagonist had died, and as such, made me think hard about my own upcoming end. After all, she was young and healthy, and while she gave birth at a young age, her survival should’ve been guaranteed. However, because of the added stresses in her life, as well complications in her body, she ended up dying. This book, along with many others, has shown that anyone can die, and no matter your standing, or your place in life, you will die.

An Explanation for the Unknown
In Don’t Wake Me Up by M.E. Rhines, the protagonist falls in love with the ghost of a boy, whose relationship offers her an escape from her life. Through the works of Autumn Chills, ghosts become a mysterious, yet reassuring phenomenon that something exists in the afterlife. These books have channeled the reader’s fascination in a life after death. It’s something that grips our attention, but at the same time shows us what the author believes may be waiting for us in the afterlife. Despite the constant glorification of immortality, we, as readers, know that it’s impossible. As such, we try to look for answers regarding our own mortality that we may be afraid to ask from others. A majority of the time, it’s the fear of death that motivates us, but other times, curiosity.

A Foundation for Development
Whenever a beloved character dies, it can often lead the story down twists and turns that the reader might not have known otherwise. Having a family member die of an illness, or a lover killed in war can often open up new avenues for writers to explore certain plot points. Whether that be to try to better our characters, or to reach a certain climax, death ensures that we can manipulate our words and details in a way that helps drive the story along. You can find this in the crime/thriller genre, as well as the mystery genre.

Death has had an impact on literature. While it may be inappropriate to talk about death in polite society, in reality it’s prevalent in our writings and influences, so much so that some of the greatest classics have spawned from our fear of death. Even so, it gives both writers and readers an outlet to explore our own mortality, despite what anyone else may think of it.