The Ambiguity of Death Since the creation of man, certain primal urges have been imprinted into the human being’s psyche. Out of many of those the instinct of death is included, probably stemming from the necessity of killing to obtain one’s food. The instinct of death remains today and has been changed, adapted, suppressed and exemplified. In "A Formal Application" the ironic theory of applying death as a way of life is portrayed …showed first 75 words of 837 total…

…showed last 75 words of 837 total…the greatest killings in the world. The speaker most likely wants to experience more of this power which supports man’s primal urge for superiority. Some of the human race, including the speaker, can feel superiority through the desecration of others. When these people kill, they feel the ultimate power. The common paradox throughout the poem is life comes from death and death is necessary to life. Death is just another formal application of life.