Difference between revisions of "68-75 Summary"
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==== The Importance of Ritual Challenge ==== | ==== The Importance of Ritual Challenge ==== | ||
| − | The chapter shows us the importance of ritual challenge in a few ways. Without ritual challenge, a male would remain dominant until he died. That would be bad because for two reasons. First of all, the male could be unfit for the fast of finding food and shelter for the tribe, and second, the male could be disliked by the tribe. If he was disliked by the tribe, he might not make the correct decisions because he would not care as much about the tribe. Ritual challenge weeds out the unfit males and attempts to place the most worthy male in charge. An example of the weeding of the unfit males would be the challenge ritual, which is purposely hard and tiring. It is not only tiring so that none of fighters are seriously injured, but also so that weak males tire quickly and give in. | + | The chapter shows us the importance of ritual challenge in a few ways. Without ritual challenge, a male would remain dominant until he died. That would be bad because for two reasons. First of all, the male could be unfit for the fast of finding food and shelter for the tribe, and second, the male could be disliked by the tribe. If he was disliked by the tribe, he might not make the correct decisions because he would not care as much about the tribe. Ritual challenge weeds out the unfit males and attempts to place the most worthy male in charge. An example of the weeding of the unfit males would be the challenge ritual, which is purposely hard and tiring. It is not only tiring so that none of fighters are seriously injured, but also so that weak males tire quickly and give in. |
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| + | Ritual challenge is also important because it tests the males' fighting skills and skills in real-life survival scenarios. Without it, nobody would be prepared for emergencies. for example, if an enemy tribe attacked, they would be unprepared and they would all die. and if the tribe happened to be attacked by a giant rampaging herd of wild elephants, they would all attack at the same time and cause general chaos, killing more people than elephants. this is why ritual challenge is important. | ||
==== Examples from ''A Bone from a Dry Sea'' ==== | ==== Examples from ''A Bone from a Dry Sea'' ==== | ||
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Revision as of 21:26, 21 September 2011
Contents
Summary
Overview
In pages 68-75 in A Bone from a Dry Sea, there are two main themes. The first is the importance of ritual challenge, and the second is the consequences of not following ritual and customs. In the chapter, Greb, a surly, young male, challenged Presh to a fight for dominancy. First, they perform the challenge ritual (which is meant to be tiring so that no one is seriously injured in the fight), and then they fight. Greb's head becomes cut (an injury that would allow a challenger to give in without loss of prestige), but continues to fight. The tribe realizes that it could be a fight to the death. The two males continue to fight, and Presh appears to be winning. Presh forces Greb to the edge of the rock, meaning to throw him into the sea, but his foot becomes trapped in a fissure and breaks his leg. Greb is victorious and begins his victory dance. However, the tribe is only half-heartedly parsing him, and so he grows angry. Li and her mother turn their backs on him, and he hits Ma-ma and puts Li on his shoulders. The tribe attacks Greb and he swims away, defeated, never to return again.
The Importance of Ritual Challenge
The chapter shows us the importance of ritual challenge in a few ways. Without ritual challenge, a male would remain dominant until he died. That would be bad because for two reasons. First of all, the male could be unfit for the fast of finding food and shelter for the tribe, and second, the male could be disliked by the tribe. If he was disliked by the tribe, he might not make the correct decisions because he would not care as much about the tribe. Ritual challenge weeds out the unfit males and attempts to place the most worthy male in charge. An example of the weeding of the unfit males would be the challenge ritual, which is purposely hard and tiring. It is not only tiring so that none of fighters are seriously injured, but also so that weak males tire quickly and give in.
Ritual challenge is also important because it tests the males' fighting skills and skills in real-life survival scenarios. Without it, nobody would be prepared for emergencies. for example, if an enemy tribe attacked, they would be unprepared and they would all die. and if the tribe happened to be attacked by a giant rampaging herd of wild elephants, they would all attack at the same time and cause general chaos, killing more people than elephants. this is why ritual challenge is important.
Examples from A Bone from a Dry Sea
"A hoot of challenge broke her musings and she rolled over to look. A few yards away Greb had shot vertically out of the water, visible almost to his knees, bellowing as he reached the top of his leap and flailing his spread arms down as he sank back to arch two huge jets of spray at his opponent. It was a terrific display. Li paddled swiftly clear- fighting males had no time to watch out for children. Her move brought Presh into view, rising, bellowing, flailing in rhythmic answer. His voice was far more commanding that Greb's but his leaps not quite so high. It didn't cross Li's mind that he wouldn't punish Greb easily enough. He was in his prime and had the whole tribe behind him." (71)
"The challenge ritual was exhausting. (It was meant to be, so that if it came to a full-blooded fight, both combatants would already be very tired and the weaker would quickly give in.That way neither of them would get seriously hurt.)" (71)
The Consequences of Not Following Ritual and Customs
The chapter also shows us the consequences of not following ritual and customs. The tribe went against their customs by exiling Greb after he beat Presh in the fight. Because they did this, they now had a leader who was unfit to find food and shelter for them. This is a consequence because the tribe needed food to survive, and the dominant male's main job was to provide that. The tribe would also be forced to move slower because Presh was unable to walk. They now had a helpless dominant male, who they had to care for. At the end of the chapter, and in the following chapters, the reader can see how the tribe suffers the consequences of keeping Presh as their dominant male.
Examples from A Bone from a Dry Sea
""Ma-ma stayed with Presh, buoying him up and crooning comfort. He had fainted now and without her help might have drowned." (73)
