Rites Of Terror Analysis

To begin with, rites of terror are rituals that cause intense negative emotions for the people who are about to go through it. The rites of terror are performed in many cultures around the world and there are many reasons why these rituals occur. The main one I would say is to officially integrate the performer into society. The actual terror is what leaves a long lasting memory for the performer so they can remember what they have gone through. In the chapter “Terror” by Harvey Whitehouse he states, the memory ensures the participants will always remember who was there with them during the ritual, which establishes a strong bond with those who also went through it together (Whitehouse 269). An example of a rite of terror is the ant ritual …show more content…
The emotive rituals create a flashbulb memory, which imprints the experience in the minds of the participants. The ritual overall makes you realize what the core belief of your religion is therefore deepening your faith. A symbolist explanation of rites of terror is that the rituals create symbolic violence. There is a deeper meaning to the ritual than just the obvious of bringing people together. In “Terror” Harvey also explains, Donald Tuzin observes that traumatic rituals of initiation are seen as acts of kindness from the initiators which then bring feelings of love, gratitude, and deep identification. The process of identification with the initiator may play a role in the reproduction of the rituals (Whitehouse 264). The participants do not actually endure real acts of violence so they are tested to see if they are able to withstand the initiation. It is like testing your devotion to your society and religion. An example would be referring back to the Amazon ant ritual. When a man endures the pain and venom of the ants they then can say, “I know understand what it is like to be a warrior.” If they can undergo the pain and agony of ants then they can endure the life of a warrior for their