Hello All,
One concept Eliade elucidates is the "Restoration of Primordial Chaos" and the idea that society needs these moments and figures of chaos in order to rejeuvenate its "soul."
Our modern society has largely tamed these chaotic holidays ("Holy days"), but we still have one day that maintains its chaotic nature: Halloween.
This chaotic element is also why some religious fundamentalists oppose its observance: it is a day of "demonic energy" (which is just a synonym for chaos).
Needless to say, for many children, Halloween is the preeminent holiday: a day of excitement and breaking society's norms.
For this post, give one example of how Halloween embodies the idea of chaos. I'll start you off:
The idea of "Trick or Treat" is itself a threat; children are quite literally blackmailers: "If you don't give me candy (the treat), I'm going to do something bad to you (the trick)." This could be egging the house, toilet-papering the tree, or smashing a pumpkin. In other words, for this night (unlike the rest of the year) the kids are in the position of power . . . and they demand chocolate!
Brittany Stevens
ReplyDeleteHalloween depicts chaos by children and adults by the many walk through Halloween houses that are created. This houses, such as scream in the dark, are purposely made for people to get scared. Individuals go there to get scared, but they are also going to have fun, which have two different meanings. People are screaming everywhere and individuals dressed in stinking scary customs are jumping out at people every second.
Halloween embodies the idea of chaos, by being a day that adults and children are out at night time. Normally when it gets dark or night time people especially children are safe at home. However on Halloween it’s ok to be out at night, and that's also the time when people start to give out candy.
ReplyDeleteCamila Ramirez
Halloween is the perfect example of chaos. People put on costumes to mask their true identity and in essence are lying to people about who they are. Also, the costumes that people pick for the most part are either figures that are depicted as scary or evil, or the adults pick costumes that most people wouldn't seen it on a regular basis. Mostly, revealing clothing etc. that again shows chaos through the sexuality aspect.
ReplyDelete~Joel P.
One of the many themes of chaos that Halloween depicts is the chaotic theme of good versus evil. An example of how Halloween embodies the idea of chaos is were good versus evil is depicted throughout the night of Halloween. Children wear different costumes that are sometimes related or represent evilness. Halloween is celebrated by people of different ages. Halloween is a day that is celebrated mindless and shows absolute violence in occasions. Halloween is a day in which the evilness is celebrated with a great joy by those who go out and trick-or-treat. Halloween becomes an exception to the rule for those who celebrate it. Halloween is a day that shows the triumph of good versus evil.
ReplyDeleteNancy Sanchez
Halloween is a holiday that depicts chaos with the costumes people wear. Some children dress up as devils or monsters. They might transform into that character in order to scare people. Adults wear them to explore a different side of their personality. In costume, they can be as crazy as they want; their real identity is concealed.
ReplyDeleteTracy Slegers
Elvira Alvarez
ReplyDeleteHalloween depicts chaos with the costumes that people wear on this day and because of the time of day when its dark (night). Most of the costumes that poeple wear are those in which are scary or make them look freaky. With these costumes they transform people who show fear and scare others. Halloween can also be celebrated as something good, people can have fun, dress as heroes or a fairy tale character, and ask for candy. This holiday depicts a chaotic theme of the good vs. evil.
The Halloween witch is a familiar symbol of chaos during the Halloween season. You can see her in her black cloak and black pointed hat riding her broomstick or stirring her caldron and always with her friend, the black cat. The witch is often depicted as an old and usually evil woman, her hair, white and straw-like. Her nose is long and dotted with a big hairy wart. The witches would gather on these nights, arriving on broomsticks, to celebrate a party. Superstitions told of witches casting spells on unsuspecting people, transform themselves into different forms and causing other magical mischief.
ReplyDelete~Ali Zanial
Halloween is an example of chaos because it depicts the complete opposite of normal people lives. Many people start to settle to down when the sun goes down, and some people used to think that when the sun went down evil came out. When Halloween comes around people go out when the sun goes down, therefore portraying the chaos or evil associated with dark. Also, Halloween is a time when people tend to dress up as something scary or evil and hide their identity, which can show that people are bringing out their evil or dark side by dressing up as something that they choose.
ReplyDeleteCory Brown
Halloween is an example of chaos because it gives people the excuse to act crazy. People hide their true identity by wearing costumes and sometime portray their costumes, as in they can do whatever they want.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Clark
On Halloween, children are allowed to do the normally unthinkable, by asking complete strangers for candy. Every other day of the year, children are told to "Never talk to strangers," and "Never accept candy from strangers." Children on Halloween, however, disobey these fundamental rules by not only accepting candy from strangers, but by asking for it themselves. This contradiction of structure creates the chaos.
ReplyDeleteOn Halloween, children are allowed to do the normally unthinkable, by asking complete strangers for candy. Every other day of the year, children are told to "Never talk to strangers," and "Never accept candy from strangers." Children on Halloween, however, disobey these fundamental rules by not only accepting candy from strangers, but by asking for it themselves. This contradiction of structure creates the chaos.
ReplyDelete--Kristen Perez (sorry)
The idea of dressing up and acting someone different than themselves gives Halloween the idea of chaos. People embrace the idea of costumes and especially costumes that signify death and horror. During this time, people also love to be scared and engage in activities that give them the feeling of fear such as going to haunted attractions, watching scary movies and even going to graveyards. These activities are different from the norm because usually people tried to avoid the feeling of fear; however, once Halloween comes, people search for that excitement or horror.
ReplyDeleteFatima Lucio
Sergio Espain
ReplyDeleteHalloween allows children and adults to get out of their normal lives. It allows them to dress up as crazy characters and act like fools for one night. Teachers, doctors, lawyers can all dress up as other people and escape.
Halloween depicts chaos in a couple of ways. It is a holiday that definitely brings people out of their norm. For example, the idea of people being out late at night going from house to house to get candy. Typically, once it turns dark, most people are in their homes spending time together. Also, the idea of chaos is portrayed through the costumes that both the children and adults wear. They are breaking out of their social norms by wearing things that aren’t seen in day to day life, for example, a witch or a ghost. Usually people try to stay away from these things that are considered evil, where on Halloween, they embrace and celebrate them.
ReplyDelete--Rachel Sterling
Halloween is a holiday that promotes trickey and a sence of creativity. I know I am not a fan of halloween because of the scary ghost and darkness. This promotes choas in the sense that when it is darkness, nothing can be sense and because they are in their costumes nothing can be witnessed. The adults and children are able to get away with things. Typically bad things on this night.
ReplyDeleteTimeshia WOmack
Halloween is an example of chaos because this is a holiday in were kids and adults have the chance of dressing up as someone other than themselves. For kids it is a day that they can go from house to house and ask for candy. A holiday that has no limits about scarying others with their creepy costumes or masks. For adults it is a night that they can throw a party and drink with friends.
ReplyDeleterosio sanchez
Halloween depicts chaos in various ways, such as the costumes that are worn. Many people choose to dress up in gruesome costumes that utilize fake blood and wounds that seem highly realistic. Haunted houses also depict chaos in the sense that you do not know who or what is going to pop out in front of you when traveling down the windy maze of horror. Halloween may be in fun to some, but the idea of chaos is a big role in this holiday.
ReplyDelete~Cindy Astorga
Halloween allows for kids to go around neighborhoods and do harm. At times teenagers scare younger kids. also, dress up is a way to be free and believe that someone is something else other than their original self. Also, teenagers go around homes that are not giving candy out and egg bombs those homes.
ReplyDelete**Edith Bejar**
The day of Halloween represents chaos because everything is abnormal at that day. People wear costumes which they would never wear in daily basis. Parents let their children go out at night time not being worried for them. Adults start behaving like children, unlike their every day behavior. Usually parents don't let their children to go to someone's house to ask for anything, but at the Halloween night they even join their children to go "Trick or Treating". Overall, Halloween is a night when everyone seems to gone crazy.
ReplyDelete_Nigina Boltaeva
Halloween is depicted as chaotic because it is the day where the dead spirits come back to earth. Usually the only spirits on earth are the ones that are still alive moreover the dead spirits move on to either hell or heaven. On this one day dead spirits and living spirits are on earth. It has been said that the dead come to earth to cause chaos. People dress in costumes making it difficult to actually see the dead. Mexicans celebrate a similar holiday know as “el dia de los muertos” meaning the day of the dead.
ReplyDeletePriscilla Caraballo
Halloween depicts chaos by allowing children an adults to break societies norms. Children are allowed to be out late, adults go out and dress what society can see as indecent in any other regular day but on Halloween it becomes acceptable. Adults act in chaotic behavior by drinking and parting all night long.
ReplyDeletesarahi veloz
Halloween allows kids to dress however they want they are breaking out of their normal lives. They get to run around going up to complete strangers and asking for candy, something they are asked not to do 364 days out of the year.
ReplyDeleteHalloween imitates the archetype chaos because when that day comes everyone is wearing costumes, masks, to scare people. On the day of Halloween people can act insane because their identity is concealed from the scary outfit they wear, but women use the day of Halloween to show some skin. Halloween is a day for the dead spirits to roam the earth, but the only evil happening is the people getting drunk and acting a fool.
ReplyDeleteHalloween imitates the archetype chaos because when that day comes everyone is wearing costumes, masks, to scare people. On the day of Halloween people can act insane because their identity is concealed from the scary outfit they wear, but women use the day of Halloween to show some skin. Halloween is a day for the dead spirits to roam the earth, but the only evil happening is the people getting drunk and acting a fool.
ReplyDeleteRobert De anda