Worden suggests funeral rituals can do which of the following?

• A. make real the loss
• B. increase isolation
• C. confirm social stigma
• D. hasten detachment

Answer: (A)

Funeral rituals help mourners confront and acknowledge the reality of the death. This public, ritualized acknowledgment provides a concrete moment where the loss is recognized and named, which is a crucial first step in the grieving process. By making the absence real, the ritual helps people move from uncertainty or denial toward accepting the loss and beginning to reorganize their lives around this new reality. The ceremony also creates social support—friends, family, and the community come together to bear witness, share memories, and offer comfort—helping reduce isolation and validate the mourner’s experience. In this sense, the ritual not only marks the boundary between life with the deceased and life afterward but also supports the emotional work of grieving.

Notes on the other ideas: rituals don’t inherently increase isolation; they typically mobilize social networks. They don’t confirm stigma or hasten detachment; instead, they foster connection and a process of continuing bonds through memory and acknowledgment of the loss.