The first man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden, a perfect place.

According to the Book of Genesis, God created Adam and Eve to take care of the world He had created and to populate the Earth. The fall of Adam and Eve is the classic example, chronicled in the Bible. In almost all cultures and religions, humans were first created as immortal beings who fell from their state of perfection. Before you can have the Grim Reaper - a personification of death - you have to have death itself. When we're done, you'll know who the Grim Reaper is (should you spy him lurking by your deathbed), how he works and, most important, why he exists at all. We'll also examine how painters, writers and filmmakers have portrayed the Reaper in their works.

We'll address all of these questions on the next few pages. We'll look at the origin of the Grim Reaper, the symbolism associated with his form and figure, and how he's represented in other cultures. But why did humans feel compelled to make the Grim Reaper, well, so grim? Why not make him a friendly and helpful guide to the underworld? And why, for that matter, does he have to be a guy? Ultimately, this is the 'job' of the Grim Reaper - to put a human face on the concept of death. It may not be a pleasant image, but it is clear and unmistakable. When it does, he collects the soul with a well-practiced cut of his razor-sharp blade.

He comes for every person, hourglass in hand, waiting for the last grain of sand to fall. We all know exactly who he is and what he wants. Enter the Grim Reaper, the black-cloaked, scythe-wielding personification of death.

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