The essay will critically analyze theoretical accounts of society, particularly their usefulness in understanding how death is socially perceived in the West. It will be argued that all different theoretical models of society can be useful, but that the "society as organism" model, which emphasizes symbolic interactionism, is often more useful than structural functionalism in himself. My analysis will begin with a critique of structural functionalism, taking as an example Durkheim's analysis of suicide (1953). I then examine “society as organism” in the thought of Rousseau (1913), before considering these models specifically in relation to the problem of death. I discuss our Western fear of death and suggest, drawing on Eagleton (2003), that any solution must involve confronting this fear on a social level. There are sociological theories in which society is conceived as a total structure composed of functional elements: this is structural functionalism. Rigney (2001: 17) describes structural functionalism as follows: “society is a system of independent parts working together to produce a functional and vital whole”. For example, as many roles are played in society, good and bad, it can be compared to a theater, in which our life is one big stage with many different parts being and performed (Goffman, 1969). It could be argued, however, that this approach is too simplistic because it does not take into account cases where people and events fall outside the norms and values ​​of society, for example in matters of crime and disorder. In short, we could say that structural functionalism cannot explain where structure is "dysfunctional". It can highlight dysfunctions and disorders, but it does not easily account for them. To give an example,...... middle of article......Works CitedCurl, JS (1993) A Celebration of Death, London: Batsford.Durkheim, E., 'Introduction', (1952 ) Suicide: a study in sociology. London: Routledge and KeganEagleton, T, 'Death, evil and non-being', After Theory (2003), London: Penguin, pp.208-222 Goffman, E. (1996). Self-presentation in daily life. London: Allen Lane. Honneth, A, Disrespect: the normative foundations of critical theory (2007), Polity Press (Trans.), London: Malden MA: Polity Press. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, “Discourses on the arts and sciences” [1750], in The social contract and discourses (1993), Trans. GDH Cole, London: Everyman.Miller, A, The Theater Essays of Authur Miller (1978), Martin, Robert A (Ed.), London: NY: Viking Press.Romanoff BD; Terenzio M (1998). Death Studies, Volume 22, Number 8, , pp. 697-711(15) RITUALS AND MOURNING PROCESSES