Why Do Things Die?

Synopsis

A beautiful and gentle look at the circle of life, using Christine Pym's gorgeous animals characters to explore the emotions and facts around death, with questions such as Is it ok to talk about dying? What happens when someone dies? Can I shout and cry and hide away? and How can I stop feeling sad?

Summary

Chapter 1: Living and Non-Living Things

This book starts off discussing the different types of things that exist in the world. It does this by introducing the concept of living and non-living things. A living thing is something that can think, grow, move, and eat on its own. Non-living things are ‘inanimate’ and can’t do any of these things. Examples of living things are animals, plants, fungi, and humans—these things have been proven to grow and reproduce. Examples of non-living things are rocks, computers, and furniture—these things don’t grow or reproduce and can’t think on their own.

Chapter 2: People Die, but Plants Live Forever

The second chapter introduces the idea that people and animals die but plants live forever. This is because plants like flowers, trees, and grass can reproduce and become new plantings over time. Because plants produce their own food, they don’t need any ‘help’ and can live much longer than people and animals. Animals, meanwhile, need to be fed by other animals, plants, or sometimes even humans. People, like animals, rely on other things to survive and eventually, they die.

Chapter 3: How and Why Things Die

This chapter explains how and why things die. Some things, like people and animals, die due to old age or sickness. When living things become too old or too sick, their bodies can’t work anymore and they eventually pass away. Other living things, like plants, can die from the environment—too much sun, cold temperatures, too much water, etc. can all cause plants to die. Non-living things also have a way of dying. Over time, rocks can erode and rust or furniture can become worn down and broken.

Chapter 4: Why Death is Part of Life

This chapter explains why death is actually a part of life. Although sad and sometimes hard to process, death is natural. It is a part of life and all living things experience it. The book explains that death is a way for new life to start—when an animal or person dies, they make room for new things which encourages growth and change in the world. Non-living things also have their own way of ‘dying’, however, they can be replaced with new versions as needed. For example, when a chair or table breaks, a new one can be bought to replace it. Death is a natural part of the life cycle and we must accept it as a fact of life.

Chapter 5: What Happens After Death

This chapter discusses what happens after someone or something dies. When a person dies, humans usually have a funeral to honor their memory. Bodies are typically buried in a cemetery or cremated and turned into ashes. For animals, their bodies may decompose in nature or be put in a grave. For non-living things, their remains may be recycled or thrown away. Regardless of how it’s done, it is important to respect life and death, and to remember that death is a part of life.