Describe how the practices associated with the medical model of death and dying in the United States (or another Western society) may be regarded as a type of ritual. (You may want to consult the social science literature that defines "ritual" before you begin.)

Compare the ritual of dying in the United States (or another Western society) to another society that does not adopt a strictly medical model for the dying process.

Offer a brief commentary on what people in the United States may be able to learn from these nonmedical approaches to dying.