Examples Of Rite Of Passage

The rite of passage can be seen in many different forms but all of them follow three main stages. The rite of passage can be seen all over our society today in ways such as becoming a black belt to joining a church. “Each larger society contains within it several distinctly separate groupings. ... In addition, all these groups break down into still smaller societies in subgroups” (Gennep). This Rite of passage is used to make every member feel closer and more dependent on the members within that certain group that they join. When going thru the stages of the rite of passage adversity and challenge with come about but it will cause teamwork and bonding within the group. A common form of the rite of passage practiced in college is pledging a
Separation is used to make the person joining feel like they are giving up their former self to take on a new role in whatever they are joining. “There is often a detachment or "cutting away" from the former self in this phase, which is signified in symbolic actions and rituals” (Turner). In fraternities when a pledge first joins he will be given a pin that he must always wear and will have to dress the same as all of his pledge brothers. This is done to make each of the pledge feel unity within their group. Pledges are required to walk and eat together to further enforce that they are a group as a whole and not an individual. The pledges are must clean the house and achieve tasks as a whole to show the members that they are worthy and can be trusted to be called a “brother” or active
Liminality is used to slowly introduce the ideas of the organization that he or she is pledging to join. The pledges will start to familiarize with the tradition and teaching of the organization. This causes the pledges to start to feel more involved within the group. The pledges are given a book that has all he knowledge and secrets of the fraternity that they are joining. They are required to learn the book from front to back and are given a test on each chapter to ensure that they are studying the book. If a test is failed, they will be required to go back to that chapter and re-read it until they meet the passing grade for the chapter. The pledges will also start to learn about some secrets that are only known by members of the organization. “Within this liminal phase, place, and state, according to Turner, initiands are afforded the rare opportunity “to contemplate for a while the mysteries that confront all men” (Turner). Once a pledge begins to learn of these secrets he will feel like he is more a part of the group he is joining. The pledges are further instructed in team oriented activities and will continue to spend more time together. This period normally lasts between eight to twelve weeks long. Within this time frame most bonding and brotherhood takes place. At the end of this cycle each pledge should be ready to be initiation and ready to learn all the secrets and traditions that each organization holds. If