Extra Credit 1: Cemeteries

For this assignment, Chris, Jasper, and I went to visit two cemeteries. Both of the ones we went to were downtown near the world trade center- St. Pauls Cemetery and Trinity Church Cemetery. Both cemeteries are historic, and I was surprised that there were a lot of other people walking around and taking pictures. These cemeteries are tourist spots. Which isn’t the original purpose of the cemeteries, as people aren’t going to grieve anymore, they want to see people like Alexander Hamiltons grave. Though I must admit, I’m not much better then these people because I wouldn’t have been there if I weren’t getting credit for it. If I had the chance I would have had a more fulfilling experience where I visited some of my families graves, but because they are all far out in long island, or not in New York, that wasn’t really an option.
Walking around, it almost didn’t feel like a cemetery, or what I imagine from cemeteries. It was loud, there were people walking around looking at random graves and it was just very casual. There was no grieving, no remembrance, no emotion. I think it was just that the cemeteries are so old. Most of the headstones, at least the ones that were legible were from the 1800’s. Nobody that is a live knew these people, and because of that these two cemeteries aren’t even cemeteries, they’re just historical landmarks.
I think that the experience if the cemeteries weren’t in a busy part of the city, they weren’t so old, it was night, or I knew somebody buried there. The quietness would have allowed for reflection, the night would be adding intensity. The nighttime factor for me seems pretty important. A lot of times people associate the dark with death, and just bad connotations in general. Which is why I believe that there is an added intensity for being in a setting like a cemetery at night. Knowing somebody buried there would have drawn me in more to the assignment, evoking a lot more reflection. I would look at somebody’s tombstone and read it and assume things, whereas for this I looked at a tombstone and saw a breaking rock.
This wasn’t a very deep experience for me. But it did teach me a couple of things. 1. Anything that is old enough can become a tourist spot. 2. If you want a good experience don’t go with two of your friends.
St. Pauls:

 Trinity: