- published: 23 Dec 2011
- views: 201980
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding events such as other milestones within puberty, coming of age, marriage and death. Initiation ceremonies such as baptism, confirmation and Bar or Bat Mitzvah are considered important rites of passage for people of their respective religions. Rites of passage show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures.
The concept of rites of passage as a general theory of socialization was first formally enunciated by Arnold van Gennep in his book The Rites of Passage to denote rituals marking the transitional phase between childhood and full inclusion into a tribe or social group. Gennep's work exercised a deep impact on anthropological thought.
Rites of passage have three phases: separation, transition, and reincorporation, as van Gennep described. "I propose to call the rites of separation from a previous world, preliminal rites, those executed during the transitional stage liminal (or threshold) rites, and the ceremonies of incorporation into the new world postliminal rites."
With this right of passage, cruel twist of fate
With every turn of every card I never see
Until it's too late, the deed is done and leaves me
Wondering just where our love has gone
I cannot say in honest truth
That I still trust all my feelings for you
You knew that it was wrong
And you think that saying sorry
Is gonna make it seem alright
And maybe in this song
You will hear me for the first time
And you'll start to see the light
Living with you is like being parked
On double yellow lines waiting to be towed away
I'll pay the fine and I'll be back
But I'm running out of reasons to stay
You knew that it was wrong
And you think that saying sorry
Is gonna make it seem alright
And maybe in this song
You will hear me for the first time
And you'll start to see the light
You knew that it was wrong
And you think that saying sorry
Is gonna make it seem alright
And maybe in this song
You will hear me for the first time
And you'll start to see the light
With this right of passage
I reclaim my heart
I take my leave as if on cue
I play no further part
In your self-penned dramas
Where each stolen kiss
Just goes to prove