I really enjoyed this week’s novel, and it is probably my favourite by far in this course. The novel allowed me to take on a different perspective in considering the meaning and purpose of death. Saramago takes a very intriguing approach in exploring the topic of death. He specifically does so through an interesting thought experiment which essentially proposes a world where death is absent. In this country, death goes “on strike”. Death is suspended for people who are terminally ill. These people are alive, but at the same time, they are also not. They show signs of vitality, however, there is no improvement in their already ailing conditions. As a result, people begin seeking for death, making it seem like death can be controlled. 

When first coming across the idea of immortality, the thought seems too good to be true. Since death has always been one of the greatest fears of people, it is natural for one to celebrate eternal life. However, before being too absorbed in the joy brought by immortality, Saramago begins pointing out the problems of immortality, that it is presumably more disastrous than death. The problems of overcrowding, the funeral industry losing business, and other such events become apparent. People begin realizing that immortality is no longer ideal and that it does not constitute a utopian way of life. Just as death has been on strike for several months, thousands of people in suspended death actually died. Instead of allowing immortality to continue, death notices were given in a week advance to allow the people to take advantage of this time to say their final goodbyes to their loved ones. Personally, I think this is much more desirable than immortality. Oftentimes when people die, they don’t have the chance to properly say their farewells because accidents do occur suddenly. These warnings allow people to make the most out of their remaining time of life. In the context of this novel, immortality isn’t as good as we think of it to be. People whose deaths are delayed are really no different than being actually dead because the only difference is they are able to breathe (and that is the most significant sign indicating life). 

One element that I find extremely interesting is that Saramago personifies death. Death, in this novel, is not a phenomenon, it is represented as a character. In fact, “death” does transform into a person in the latter half of the book. This personification is extremely thought-provoking as the relationship between death and life is far more complex than death being the end of life. 

My question this week is what are your thoughts on the way death is explored in this novel?