The documentary, The Devil’s Playground, directed by Lucy Walker illustrates the lifestyle of the Amish culture. This film particularly focuses on a Rite of Passage known as Rumspringa. Rumspringa occurs when an adolescent turn sixteen years old and the adolescent then has an opportunity to experience the outside world before deciding rather or not to officially join the Amish church. By using Turner’s concepts of liminality, communitas, rituals of status elevation and status of reversal, one can gain a greater understanding of the ceremonial process shown in the documentary.
During the period of rumspringa, the adolescents undergo a process of liminality. This can be recognized as a state of transition. As Turner argues, “liminality is frequently …show more content…
According to Turner, the ritual of status reversal is defined as a cyclical or calendrical ritual where the low becomes high for a brief period. When applying this notion to the documentary, one can witness how little to no authority the adolescents have during rumspringa. Subsequently, as soon as the adolescents made their ultimate decision, the rules and obligations of the church once again pertains to them. Another supporting argument about how the film employs status reversal is that it becomes accepted for the adolescents to experience the outside world and do activities that would usually be classified as “bad” or frown upon by the church’s standards. The subjects are permitted on making their own choices without having the consequences from the church and its members; thus allowing them to feel as the “high”. Once they are acknowledged as an official member, then they are expected and required to follow the church’s restrictions and practices. Ultimately, this would cause their state of “high” to no longer exist.
The documentary, The Devil’s Playground demonstrates and stresses the importance of the role of Rumspringa in the Amish life. The members of the Amish church live a simple and strict lifestyle; however, at a point in every adolescent’ life, they must answer a difficult question: to remain or not remain a member of the Amish church. To better comprehend the complexity of this stage in an Amish
During the period of rumspringa, the adolescents undergo a process of liminality. This can be recognized as a state of transition. As Turner argues, “liminality is frequently …show more content…
According to Turner, the ritual of status reversal is defined as a cyclical or calendrical ritual where the low becomes high for a brief period. When applying this notion to the documentary, one can witness how little to no authority the adolescents have during rumspringa. Subsequently, as soon as the adolescents made their ultimate decision, the rules and obligations of the church once again pertains to them. Another supporting argument about how the film employs status reversal is that it becomes accepted for the adolescents to experience the outside world and do activities that would usually be classified as “bad” or frown upon by the church’s standards. The subjects are permitted on making their own choices without having the consequences from the church and its members; thus allowing them to feel as the “high”. Once they are acknowledged as an official member, then they are expected and required to follow the church’s restrictions and practices. Ultimately, this would cause their state of “high” to no longer exist.
The documentary, The Devil’s Playground demonstrates and stresses the importance of the role of Rumspringa in the Amish life. The members of the Amish church live a simple and strict lifestyle; however, at a point in every adolescent’ life, they must answer a difficult question: to remain or not remain a member of the Amish church. To better comprehend the complexity of this stage in an Amish