On the Death of My Sister: A Crystallized Account of Family Grief and Bereavement

<p>This thesis explores the multifaceted experiences of an unexpected death in an Evangelical family. By crystallizing three methodological approaches to research, the thesis uncovers the experiences of the grief process from quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical frames. A content analysis of personal messages written in sympathy cards, a qualitative study of a grieving Evangelical family and Burke's Pentad are placed in dialogue with each other as this thesis culls out the multiple truths that are present in the complex beauties of grief. Finally, the thesis puts a unique perspective on the mixing of methods in the author's first person autoethnographical account drawing out the co-constructed nature of both individualized and familial grief.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Communication

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• Van Bebber Jr., David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Heather Carmack

• autoethnography
• crystallization
• mixed methods
• grief
• bereavement family communication
• tragic loss
• Communication

Statement dc:rights

• © David Van Bebber Jr.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1056

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2057