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Death and Dying in Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's The Wheel of Life

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Abstract

This paper offers a critical review of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's memoir The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying (1998), focusing on her core beliefs about death and dying. The review examines Kübler-Ross's conviction that dying can be one of life's greatest experiences, her view that adversity strengthens the human spirit, and her belief that individuals are predestined to fulfill certain lessons before death. The paper also considers her broader philosophy that living a meaningful life removes the fear of death, and reflects on the accessibility and motivating quality of her writing for general readers.

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What makes this paper effective

The paper grounds every claim in direct quotation from the primary source, allowing Kübler-Ross's own words to carry the argument rather than paraphrase alone.
It balances summary with critical commentary, noting both the appeal and the more unconventional aspects of Kübler-Ross's philosophy (e.g., her belief that she chose her parents).
The review maintains a clear evaluative stance throughout, consistently returning to how the author's ideas affect the reader's perception of death.

Key academic technique demonstrated

This paper demonstrates the use of embedded textual evidence: short direct quotations are woven into the writer's own sentences rather than dropped in as block quotes, keeping the prose flowing while still anchoring analysis to the source. Each quotation is followed immediately by interpretive commentary that explains its significance to the paper's central argument.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a brief statement of purpose and introduces the primary text, then moves through Kübler-Ross's main philosophical positions in a logical sequence — from her positive view of death, to predestination and life lessons, to the relationship between how one lives and how one faces death. A short conclusion synthesizes these ideas and delivers a final evaluative judgment on the work's accessibility and impact.

Introduction

This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of death and dying as presented in the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Specifically, it offers a critical review of her thoughts on death and dying as expressed in The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying (1998). Kübler-Ross is recognized for her expertise in the field of death and dying, and she is an accomplished writer as well. This book encompasses her core beliefs and serves as an excellent introduction to her writing.

Kübler-Ross on the Beauty of Death and Dying

Ultimately, Kübler-Ross is fully convinced of the beauty and importance of life, but she is equally convinced that dying can be one of the greatest experiences a person can have. She writes, "I always say that death can be one of the greatest experiences ever" (Kübler-Ross, 1998, p. 15); however, she immediately counters this by writing, "If you live each day of your life right, then you have nothing to fear" (Kübler-Ross, 1998, p. 15). Her beliefs suggest that if one lives a good life, there is no reason to fear death — a fear that is nonetheless common in contemporary society.

Life's Lessons and Predestination

Kübler-Ross also believes that the things that happen in our lives occur because they must, and that we are predestined to do what we do — including how and when we die. When we have finished accomplishing what we must accomplish in life, we are ready for death, regardless of when that moment arrives. She acknowledges that life is hard, that adversity makes us stronger, and that we all have lessons we must learn. She also maintains that once those lessons have been learned, the "pain goes away" (Kübler-Ross, 1998, p. 18).

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Fear of Death and the Decency of Humanity · 75 words

"How one lives determines how one faces death"

Conclusion

This book is the story of Kübler-Ross's remarkable life. Through her gift of storytelling, the reader learns about her childhood, her school years, and how she came to study death and dying. It is clear that this author holds definitive views on how to live the best possible life, and she shares them here alongside the story of her own journey. For anyone seeking a more peaceful understanding of mortality, The Wheel of Life offers an engaging and thought-provoking starting point. Those interested in exploring her broader theoretical contributions may also wish to consult overviews of the Kübler-Ross model of the stages of grief.

Gorle, Rev. Howard R. (2002). Grief theories: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Retrieved from the Bereavement.org website: http://www.bereavement.org/ekubler-ross.htm

Kübler-Ross, E. (1998). The wheel of life: A memoir of living and dying. New York: Scribners.

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Death and Dying The Wheel of Life Life Lessons Fear of Death Predestination Grief Theory Human Decency Memoir Bereavement Dying Experience