How is the Victim Chosen? -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 07:54:06 02/08/08 Fri
Author: Kiernan
Subject: How is the Victim Chosen?

On page 102, Girard again speaks of "appropriate sacrificial victims" with regards to the ritualized sacrifice. I'm having trouble understanding how, under this system, a society would desire a pure victim. Yes, purity provides distinction, but one would think that such distinction would make the arbitrariness of the victim much more crystal clear, because his sinlessness would contrast with the sins of the community which are heaped upon him. And also, how does a sinless victim draw the sins of the community to him with the "magnetic force" that Girard spoke of when saying why a community had ritualized sins for the king to commit. A pure victim would, it seems, not draw the sins of the community to him, and thus not provide for the needed unity. Yet, based on many of the rituals of which I've heard, a pure victim is required.

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Replies:

Re: How is the Victim Chosen? -- Jonathan Dunn, 15:44:05 02/10/08 Sun
Re: How is the Victim Chosen? -- Hwaet!, 20:32:01 02/10/08 Sun