/lit/ - Literature

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Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:03:19 2011 No.1531713 [Reply] [Original]

Hullo /lit/
I'm in a bit of a situation:
I've been asked to write a eulogy for my Grandfather's funeral on Thursday (He died last week), and have no idea how to go about such a task.
I knew him personally/we were close, so t can't be too vague, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to talk about somebody's life when I've only lived for a fraction of it.
BASICALLY, anyone have any tips for writing a eulogy?

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:05:19 2011 No.1531722 >I have no idea how I'm supposed to talk about somebody's life when I've only lived for a fraction That might actually be a decent element to incorporate into it. I would start by asking the rest of my family about him.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:06:19 2011 No.1531725 >>1531713 Write what you remember about him. The point of a Eulogy has always been to honor the life of a person, so honor him with your recounts of the things that you think defined him in your mind.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:10:19 2011 No.1531738 >>1531725 I need to put stories in, but I can't think of any specific memories, and if I say something vague about how everything was great will make me seem like I've half-arsed the entire thing, or don't have any memories at all.

Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:11:19 2011 No.1531740

I'm sorry for your loss.

I can't tell you how to write the eulogy because I didn't know him. All I can tell you is that you should do what you can to remember him as he was, to talk about what he meant to you. If it really strikes you - the difference between his age and yours - talk about it.

The one thing that I absolutely beg of you: for god's sake, DO NOT start it by saying how you were sitting there looking at your computer screen thinking about what to write. DON'T DO THIS GOD IT'S TERRIBLE AND CLICHE. Start off by starting off, not by trying to incorporate your inability to start off.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:11:19 2011 No.1531742 >>1531738 Oh come on, of course you have stories about your gumpa.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:18:19 2011 No.1531778 >>1531742 I don't know :( I can't think of anything to put. I know I should have loads of memories, and I do, but I can't think of ANYTHING.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:20:19 2011 No.1531786 >>1531778 When was the last time you saw him?

Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:24:19 2011 No.1531813

OP, the secrets to writing something that really captures your grandfather and your relationship are concrete detail and sincerity.

Sincerity is the more important of the two. You're going to be preforming (in a sense) so your emotional engagement in the piece will show. Really think about your Grandfather, what do you remember most about him? What were his best traits? What do you feel the most strongly about when you think about your grandfather?

Secondly, concrete details. You don't have to tell us complete "memories." Tell us about his favorite coffee cup. The shapes his face made when he smiled. What he looked like in general. Try to remember anything physical associated with the things that you thought were great about him, the things you feel the most strongly about.

It's ok to say a lot of abstract things like "he was a man with integrity. he was a man with a huge sense of humor. etc" but try to give us physical details to illustrate each time. "No ideas but in things" as William Carlos William said.

Lastly, give yourself some time and some space in which to think about writing this. As a suggestion for the actual process: Take walks for a few days, meditate on what you're going to write. Just let it come, don't try to force it too much. Sit down after your walks and just write. Don't worry about structuring things. Do that a couple of days before the eulogy, then revise before the eulogy and do a couple of read throughs aloud.

I'm sorry for the loss of your Granddad. I hope at least a little of this helps.

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:24:19 2011 No.1531817 >>1531786 Last Wednesday, the evening before he died, why?

>>	None !WvWWh.l.CE Mon Feb 7 15:27:19 2011 No.1531832 File: 34 KB, 695x573, 1280453356379.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >caring that a family member died also rules no fanfics

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:28:19 2011 No.1531838 >>1531817 Just trying to get you thinking about times when you saw him. It doesn't have to be something awe-inspiring or memorable, just try and start thinking about times you saw him and had a conversation

>>	Anonymous Mon Feb 7 15:29:19 2011 No.1531843 >>1531832 wat

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