that. I did not know many of these things were considered rites of passage, such as funerals and childbirth. I feel like the author did a very good job of explaining the different categories that rites are divided into and explaining the distinctions between them. The background of Van Gennep is that he was an ethnographer, meaning he studied people and culture. Knowing this information explains how he was able to know so much about the different rites of different cultures. He spent a long time studying these various rites, and it paid off considering that The Rites of Passage is considered his best work. I agree with most of his ceremonies listed as rites of passage, as they do celebrate the transition between two “worlds.” Some of them however I personally do not find to be as symbolic, such as a girl’s marrying age, or a child’s first bath, haircut, tooth, etc. Understanding the meaning behind rites of passage, it makes sense, but in my opinion I just don’t feel that they are symbolic enough to be considered a rite of passage. In general, Van Gennep’s Rites of Passage, is very influential, and I can see how it influenced many other writers such as Joseph Campbell. This book was very educational, and also very interesting, as learning about the different types of rites observed in different cultures was very interesting. We as Americans already know that diversity is everywhere, and no two cultures are the same, so seeing the different beliefs and mentalities of different cultures is important. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the history as well as the different rites of passage around the world.

In conclusion, natural human beings necessarily move from one level of growth to another – physiological, spiritual, social etc. No individual can possibly, in any way escape themselves from this reality. Growth is a fundamental part of life, and without it we would all be mediocre people stuck in one spot forever. Celebrating the growth of certain transitions encourages growth, and shows the importance of the growth and transition between the two worlds. The mere fact that the individual is given birth to, implies that he or she must grow and finally must die. Then, in the process of these movements from one level to another, in every dimension of life, every culture prescribes rites (rituals) to depict and accompany that individual in the transitions. This is the basic point Gennep injects to our knowledge in this “Rites of Passage.” There are many different dimensions and aspects to these rites, and we do not necessarily go through all of them in our lifetime. It is therefore left for us to examine our different cultures and discover how these rites are performed and their various significances to our life activities. We must determine what transitions are symbolic