"…He posited ‘things’ as possessing being…No wonder he later always discovered in things only that which he had put into them!" – Nietzsche
The Rites of passage are classically viewed as the method by which age-superior members of the society transmit new and powerful knowledge to the young as part of the initiation into a new state of being. Some initiations involve a tangible progression, from one occupation or status group to another. Other initiations are passages of an intangible nature, involving the acquisition of metaphysical knowledge and abilities.
Since the age of antiquity the Rite of Passage was one that occurred around the time of puberty and had two predominant functions. The first was to cause a transformation of the child’s response systems from dependence to responsibility (Campbell 46). The second, and fundamental utility, was to facilitate a revelation of the world of sex, birth and life- the sacred world (Raphael 78). These were ritualized spiritual rebirths. The Rites of Passage are a ritual, which is by definition a set of repetitive behaviors intended to communicate sacred symbols, that is performed with the intent of ensuring a psychological transformation within the participant.
The Rite of Passage in and of itself is merely a framework. This framing is necessary because Man is a creature of paradox. He is a being of Primary Symbolic Unconsciousness and Articulated Linguistic Consciousness, both inextricably bound together in the ultimate tool, the transcendent vehicle that man has created to continue his evolution- his intellect. The paradox is this: the symbolic mind is the seat of hopes, desires, fears, and intuition. This is the fabric of dreams. This is man before his suggested d...
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...but it is true- man is expressing supreme knowledge of things with language because these things are just articulations of inner symbolic territory. And it is for this reason that he finds in things only that which he put there!
Works Cited
Campbell, Joseph. The Inner Reaches of Outer Space. New York: HarperPerennial, 1986
Campbell, Joseph. Myths to Live By. New York: Viking, 1973
Elkin, A.P. Aboriginal Men of High Degree. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 1994
Harner, Micheal. Jivaro: People of the Sacred Waterfall. New York: Doubleday/Natural History, 1972
Harner, Micheal. The Way of the Shaman. New York: Bantam, 1986
Jung, C.G. Psychological Reflections. New York: Pantheon, 1953
Leakey, Richard. Origins Reconsidered. New York: Doubleday, 1992
Raphael, Ray. The Men from the Boys. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1988
When President Lincoln first called for troops to put down the confederate rebellion, he made no connection between this action and an attempt to end slavery. In fact, he explicitly stated "the utmost care will be observed to avoid any devastation, any destruction of, or interference with, property..." At this point, slavery was not yet integral to the struggle, it was much more important for the Union to air on the side of political prudence and avoid angering loyal boarder states. However, despite this lack of political dialogue, many abolitionists, slaves, and free blacks felt the war to preserve the union could also be a war to end slavery. In the end, they were right, as military need overwhelmed potential political dangers, slaves and the institution of slavery became a central issue in the civil war.
His college years took place during the height of the Vietnam War, which he personally supported. Subsequently, he joined the United States Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, but unfortunately his military career was short-lived due to his poor eyesight. After graduating in 1969 with a b...
In the poem, "Rite of Passage," by Sharon Olds, the speaker, who is a mother, goes into detail about her son's birthday party celebration. Let us first begin by analyzing the title of the poem, "Rite of Passage," Encyclopedia Britannica describes a rite of passage as a ceremonial event, existing in all historically known societies, that marks the passage from one social or religious status to another. Given the plot of the poem about a young boy having his peers over celebrate his birthday, one might be automatically compelled to say the rite of passage is for him, however with a closer analysis of the poem in its entirety, one can argue the title and the plot hold deeper meaning.
A rite of passage is defined as a ceremony marking a significant transition or an important event or achievement, both regarded as having great meaning in lives of individuals. In Sharon Olds' moving poem "Rite of Passage", these definitions are illustrated in the lives of a mother and her seven-year-old son. The seriousness and significance of these events are represented in the author's tone, which undergoes many of its own changes as the poem progresses.
Rite of passage is defined per Wikipedia.com as, “a celebration of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society.” Such as when a student graduates high school and prepares to attend college, get married, or live away from home working to support themselves. Maturation is not signified by an arbitrary age. Nor is it gauged by whether one attends college or not. The stage where the adolescent lives on their own, is the beginning of the process. This is a time to make choices based on the knowledge accumulated up to this time. In America, when one reaches the age of eighteen they are considered an adult and can vote. Chronologically they are
A noted French ethnographer and folklorist, Charles Arnold Van Gennep, recognized that life consists of social status transitions, which are often marked by rites of passage that separate individuals from their past identity. Gennep , in his most famous work “The Rites of Passage” (1909), suggests that a mans life can be seen as a succession of stages and that with each stage comes a ceremony whose purpose is the enabling of the individual to pass from one stage to another (Gennep, 1950, p. 3). Gennep subdivides the classification of the rites of passage into three separate categories, these being; the rite of separation, transition rites and rites of incorporation. These subcategories are also known as preliminary rites, liminal rites a...
As children we wished to grow up and become an adult sooner so we can have more rights, but the way to adulthood varies with different cultures. Since different cultures have different ways of becoming an adult the meaning of being an adult is different. A person leaves childhood and enters adulthood in many ways there are cultural, religious, or social events. A common way in many cultures is by a rite of passage or ceremonies; a rite of passage is a ritual or event that shows that a person is now an adult. A rite of passage usually reflects certain things that are important in a culture such as values, and beliefs. Rites of passage can be described as specifications that need to be met and occur around the same time as things such as puberty, and marriage. Common types of these ceremonies are usually found in religion; some examples of these ceremonies include baptism, and a Bat Mitzvah. All of these things are considered rites of passage for a person to become an adult in their respective religions.
. Fantasy theory relates to the work of Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and Invisible Cities through themes of liminality, symbolism and distortion. Liminality can be perceived “the transitional period or rite of passage, during which the participant lacks social status or rank, remains anonymous, shows obedience and humility”(Dictionary), Both books are dealing with an individual or collective coming of age. These coming of age tales can also be observed as rite of passage. “Arnold van Gennep, described rites of passage as a threefold process with phases of separation, segregation, and integration” (Rites of Passage). The initiate (that is, the person undergoing the ritual) is first stripped of the social status that he or she possessed before the ritual, inducted into the liminal period of transition, and finally given his or her new status and re-assimilated into society.
Rituals "Rituals are found in every human community and area primary means of social communication and cohesion."(pg. 96, Livingston) Rituals help to make a smooth transition through the human life cycles. It gives a structure to the chaos of these events. Rituals also help explain changing of the seasons or a commemoration of a historical event.
In healthcare organizations, medical staff must conform to their hospital and their country’s code of conduct. Not only do they have to meet set standards, they must also take their patient into consideration. When making a decision upon a patient, medical staff must recognize religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs. By understanding a patients’ beliefs and their belief system, a medical worker can give the patient their deserved medical assistance without overstepping boundaries or coming off as offensive. The practices and beliefs of four religions will be articulated throughout this essay to fully understand how religion can either help or hinder the healing process.
All people have an experience of ¡°Rite of Passage¡± because it is necessary to be an adult. What is Rite of Passage? It means a ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood. In the story ¡°Barn Burning¡± by William Faulkner, Sarty, who was the son of barn burner- Abner Snopes, he experienced his Rite of Passage at the end of the story. Although his decision leads to his father¡¯s death, it helps him to independent from his father. I think he made the correct decision not only for himself, but also for his family and society.
Ritual, a word which we are all familiar with, A word commonly used in everyday chatter. “Coffee, Shower, Coffee, Breakfast, Coffee, my morning ritual is an essential part of my day “ but is there more to the word than what we colloquially understand it to be ? Well the awnser is yes, yes there is. Ritual : “A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order” This is a direct definition from the oxford dictionary. Understanding ritual, defining ritual and theorising ritual is a major part of many academic areas, from religion to anthropolgy and to sociology and politics. Scholars have been studying Ritual and theorising relentelessly which, to no suprise, has lead to many different opinion and endless debates. In this article we are going to look at some of those Theories and attmempt to understand ritual and to grasp the meaning which these scholars are trying to convey. While there is an endless list of contributers to this debate I am going to concentrate on what I consider to be some of the more important theorists of this topic. Those being Maurice Bloch, Catherine Bell, Victor Turner and Arnold van Gennep.
Adolescence is not cultural universal. In some societies, young children go straight from childhood to the adult life once they have done the necessary puberty rites. Puberty rites are formal ceremonies that mark the entrance of young people into the adult life. People at the age of 13 to 14 that completed these puberty rites can become accepted into the adult society.
I believe it is a process that God has us go through so that we are better equipped to follow his plan for our lives. I also believe that this process is a way of God showing us his love for us through his unfailing grace. This process is something that we go through to make us more and more like our heavenly Father.
Behaviorism is a learning theory or a developmental theory that measures observable behaviors that are produced by the learner’s response to stimuli. On one end of the spectrum behaviorism is known as an attitude. At the other end, it is known as a doctrine. According to the behavioral views of human development, behaviorists argued that to focus attention on unobservable constructs, such as emotions, thoughts, or the unconscious, was an unscientific approach.(Craig & Dunn, Ex.: 2010)