Huh—death is a huge theme in a book about the bombing of Hiroshima? Who'd have thunk it? Oh yeah: everyone.
Even thought the six survivors at the heart of Hiroshima were, you know, survivors, they were often forced to confront death on a personal level as well as on a massive scale. The city was littered with the dead and dying. In discussing the subjects' confrontations with death, Hersey delves into their personal/spiritual attitudes about that idea—and also discusses traditional Japanese beliefs regarding death and the dead.
Questions About Death
- How do the subjects' attitudes/thoughts about death shape your understanding of them?
- Hersey draws attention to the Japanese attitude toward death. What is it, and why is it important?
- Are there worse things than death? If so, what?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Suffering is portrayed as far worse than death.
Hersey portrays death in a very matter of fact and not melodramatic way, in keeping with Japanese attitude about death.