Line #62 Main/RejectionRitual


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7	Many cultures and organizations have formalized and/or ritualized ways of casting someone out of their group, usually as a punishment for gross misconduct. These usually involve some form of action that symbolizes the rejection of the person being cast out, as well as a formalized speech or statement. The person being cast out may also have to do something to reflect their status.
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9	TheExile results directly from this; a PersonaNonGrata can also receive this treatment. When this is done in the military or on a job, it's an InsigniaRipOffRitual.
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11	'''Spoilers ahead!'''
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13	----
14	!!Examples:
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17	[[folder:Comic Books]]
18	* ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark'': Cerebus' hometown has "lockout", a form of shunning signified by the townspeople closing and locking their doors as someone tries to approach their homes. Cerebus suffers this for missing his father's death and funeral while running around with his lover Jaka, which the townsfolk see as immensely disrespectful and shameful.
19	* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' features a rare heroic example. Retiring Judges who don't want to take a desk job may choose to take The Long Walk. It includes a ceremony with a gun salute, after which the ex-Judge is exiled into the Cursed Earth outside Mega City to bring the Law to the mutants and criminals there.
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22	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
23	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'': When Simba exiles Kovu, the various animals/courtiers present sing a chant calling him "disgrace, an outrage! Desecrator! Agitator!" He is forced to run a gauntlet on the way out. The chants final verse states; "Let him run. Let him live. But do not forget what we cannot forgive. He is not one of us. He will never be one of us." It's undone later when Simba realizes he was wrong and Kovu is not a bad lion.
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26	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
27	* ''Film/PitchPerfect'': The day after the new Bellas get brought into the group, two are kicked out for having had sex with a Treblemaker the previous evening. One isn't shown, but the other is forced to drag her chair off to the side on her way out. Later Beca is almost forced out and starts to drag her chair away, before being called back into the group.
28	* ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou'': Homer Stokes' political defeat is cemented when he offends his audience enough that they literally run him out of town on a rail.
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31	[[folder:Literature]]
32	* ''Literature/{{Anathem}}'' is named after the mathic world's ritual of singing a song to members who are leaving (or being kicked out) of their cloister. The word is a portmanteau of "anthem" and "anathema."
33	* ''Literature/BabelOrTheNecessityOfViolence'': When a student is expelled from the Oxford [[WizardingSchool Institute of Translation]], he's publicly thrown out the front door and the [[SympatheticMagic blood vial]] that keys him to the Institute's security systems is shattered on the steps. The theatrical glee with which Professor Playfair performs this is a glaring sign of how much of a BitchInSheepsClothing he is.
34	* ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'': Akkarin and Sonea are exiled as punishment for practicing black magic. This involves all of the present magicians in the Guild taking it in turns to tell them "I cast you out. Do not enter my lands again." and tear a small rip in their uniform robes. Rothen and Dannyl refuse to complete the ritual for Sonea, instead wishing her luck.
35	* ''[[Literature/EarthsChildren Clan of the Cave Bear]]'': The Clan have a ritual called the Death Curse the medicine man does to make a person "dead." Nobody acknowledges the person and it's implied that YourMindMakesItReal--they ''really can't'' see them, and the person figures that if they're dead, they'll just lay down and die. Ayla has this done to her twice; the first time it's just for a month, but the second time it's permanent. She doesn't actually die either time though.
36	* Two of the ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'' novels include rites of excommmunication, a Church ritual that cuts off the named individual(s) from participating in ''any'' Church rites. During the ritual, each participating bishop carries a single lit candle; at the end, all drop their candles, which should go out when they hit the floor.
37	** In ''Deryni Checkmate'', Alaric Morgan and Duncan [=McLain=] are excommunicated after being unjustly accused of crimes against the Church. When the ritual ends, one of the fallen candles remains burning, indicating that ''someone'' believes they are not deserving of this fate.
38	** In ''The Bishop's Heir'', the targets are the evil ex-Archbishop Edmund Loris, his allies among the Council of Bishops, and the rebellious Mearan royal family. This time, all the candles go out.
39	* In Creator/HarryHarrison's [[Literature/WestOfEden Eden trilogy]], a Yilanè can be cast out of [[LadyLand her city]] with a simple but formalized denouncement, including being stripped of her name and place among the other Yilanè. Because their psychology is so tied to community and home, this is such a shock that it causes the Yilanè to subconsciously induce a hibernation state that leads to death. The exceptions are a handful of Yilanè whose base loyalty is tied to a different focus, who are treated as pariahs.
40	%%* All of Creator/EnidBlyton's boarding school series feature this, where badly behaved students are sent to "the Coventry", i.e. being treated as invisible by everyone else in their form. %%Partial Context Example - there's nothing about a ritual here; as written this is just TheExile
41	* ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'': Some crimes in [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarven]] society are punishable by a form of banishment known as ''vargrimstn'', where they treat the exile as though they had ceased to exist. Eragon notes how chilling it is when after one high-ranked dwarf is pronounced banished, the other dwarves act as though his continued ranting is just ambient noise, and when he grabs hold of one of the other council members, the guards that pull him away do so with an attitude suggesting that they're just helping the councilor straighten his clothes.
42	* ''Literature/JonathanLivingstonSeagull'': The seagull Flock to which Jonathan initially belongs has a ritual called "Stand to Center," which is used to either honor the recipient gull or shame them. A gull who is centered for shame, like Jonathan, is [[TheExile Outcast from the Flock]] and sentenced to spend the remainder of his or her life alone or with other exiles, never to return to the Flock.
43	* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings: The Two Towers'': When Gandalf returns to the Fellowship as Gandalf the White and confronts Saruman for his working with Sauron:
44	-->Behold, I am not Gandalf the Grey, whom you betrayed. I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death. You have no colour now, and I cast you from the order and from the Council. Saruman, your staff is broken.
45	* ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle'': In the Empire of Great Kesh, the punishment for a traitorous noble consists of an excessively gruesome execution followed by having their name removed from every document and record, to be replaced by the phrase "one who betrayed his country".
46	* In the ''Literature/{{Rihannsu}}'' novels, the ultimate form of dishonor for the Romulans is to have one's name thrice written and thrice burned by the Senate, after which one is considered an UnPerson and one's name may never be spoken again. This happens to Ael t'Rllaillieu after she teams up with the ''Enterprise'' against her own government in ''Literature/MyEnemyMyAlly'', and many of the [[LaResistance Free Rihannsu rebels]] in the fifth book still refuse to speak her name despite her being a leading member of the rebellion. [[spoiler:It's undone after she becomes empress.]]
47	* ''Literature/RollOfThunderHearMyCry'': All of the African-American children literally turn their backs on a fellow student whose actions led to the white county board firing a black teacher.
48	* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Eddard Stark, then-Hand of the King, issues a formal decree declaring [[SociopathicSoldier Ser Gregor Clegane]] a "false knight", stripping him of lands and titles, declaring him an outlaw and sending a party to apprehend him. However, the legal consequences of this are soon cancelled as Stark is deposed by a coup (and the apprehending party themselves are declared outlaws).
49	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' novels:
50	** ''Faith and Fire'' describes the ritual through which a Battle Sister chooses to be cast out of her Order and become a Sister Repentia. The Sister announces herself as bearing a great sin and desiring this fate as her means of absolution as her fellow Sisters strip her of her armor and weapons, clothe her in rags, and use a knife to cut off her hair, announcing their rejection of her until her sin is forgiven.
51	** The ''Literature/ForgesOfMars'' trilogy features a lupine-themed "pack" of Titans accompanying the Mechanicus expedition the books revolve around. In the second book, the Warhound Titan ''Amarok'' is grievously damaged in a moment's lapse of attention by its Princeps, and as a punishment for the Titan's loss he is "made omega". As a proclamation of his banishment is made by the "pack" leader, his uniform insignia are torn off and his cheeks and throat are slashed just deeply enough to leave permanent scars. [[spoiler:He is later brought back into the pack when it's clear that his experience is needed to help fight off the antagonist's invasion.]]
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55	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
56	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
57	** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''[='s=] expansion of the Klingons and their culture included the introduction of discommendation, in which a Klingon is ceremonially shunned and reduced to an honorless pariah in their society. In the ceremony, the Klingons present cross their arms in front of the discommendee and turn their backs on him. In "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E17SinsOfTheFather Sins of the Father]]", Worf was subjected to this as a result of the charges brought against his family by the Duras family. In "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E7Reunion Reunion]]", Duras crosses his arms and turns away from Worf with a sneer when Worf challenges him for the Right of Vengeance. Unfortunately for him, it turns out Worf is here for the one thing that will still let him legally challenge and kill Duras:
58	--->'''Worf:''' K'Ehleyr... was my mate.\
59	'''Duras:''' ''(OhCrap)''
60	** Gralmek, a Klingon spy who underwent extensive surgery to appear human, was discommendated for the failure of his mission to distribute poisoned grain, covered in the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]] episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E15TheTroubleWithTribbles The Trouble with Tribbles]]" and revisited in the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E06TrialsAndTribbleations Trials and Tribble-ations]]".
61	* ''Series/HappyDays'': Fonzie tries to join Howard's [[BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats Leopard Lodge]] but he gets blackballed. It turns out that Howard is the one who blackballed him, knowing that the Lodge doesn't fit Fonzie's personality and he wouldn't be happy there.
62	%%* ''Series/{{Victoria}}'' features the Cut Direct on two separate occasions.
63	%%** The first time, it happens to the Duke of Cumberland, [[spoiler: who was just blamed for an AssassinationAttempt on Queen Victoria]].
64	%%** The second time, it happens to Lord Palmerston for his heavy-handed handling of the Don Pacifico affair.
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67	[[folder:Religion And Mythology]]
68	* A sentence of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication excommunication]] can be performed in a ceremonial judgment.
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71	[[folder:Theatre]]
72	* ''Theatre/PlainAndFancy'': The first act ends with the shunning of Peter. The Amishmen and women all file past Peter, turning away as they pass him.
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75	[[folder:Video Games]]
76	* ''Videogame/{{Stonekeep}}'': A dwarf companion of yours is declared an "uck-tugoth"--he is ritually cast out of dwarf society and declared an undwarf by the elder of his clan for disobeying him.
77	* ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth'': During the campaign "The Hammer of Thursugan'', when the protagonists run across a party of masked dwarves raiding a village in search of slaves.
78	-->The Law speaks: You are cast out. I strip you of your names, you are un-dwarf!
79	* ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' {{deconstruct\|edTrope}}s in the episode "Warzone", mission "The House Always Wins". Chancellor J'mpok orders Councillor Torg to be discommendated and the House of Torg dissolved for [[spoiler:conspiring with the Romulan Star Empire to destroy the rival House of Martok]]. The Klingons present ritually turn their backs on him, but [[spoiler:Torg decides on TakingYouWithMe and attempts to {{backstab}} Worf. Worf's son Alexander jumps in front of the knife and bleeds out in Worf's arms.]]
80	%%* The Nora in ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' have a ritual for this, which can last anywhere from a few years to forever depending on the severity of the crime committed. Interestingly this does not revoke the right of an outcast to participate in the Tribe's Proving ceremony if they're young enough, thus regaining their status in the tribe. Of course this does nothing for their parents or guardians if THEY happen to be outcasts, which means the newly minted brave will no longer be able to communicate with their former family.
81	* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'': Oleander's quest begins with her banishment from the Sacred Grove in a back-turning ritual shunning.
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84	[[folder:Webcomics]]
85	* ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'': When a hyena commits a major crime against the tribe, that hyena is cast out and their name is "eaten", making them an UnPerson. Digger meets a hyena who was cast out this way years ago, and the poor fellow can't even remember what his name ''was''.
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88	[[folder:Western Animation]]
89	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E12HomerTheGreat Homer the Great]]", Homer joins the secret organisation known as "The Stonecutters" but gets kicked out for desecrating the Hallowed Sacred Parchment. His punishment is to be stripped naked, shackled to a rock called the "stone of shame", and ordered to drag the rock with him as he walked home. Once they see his birthmark, they decide he's TheChosenOne--and attach the even larger "stone of triumph"!
90	* The ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' series, like many of the elimination game shows it parodies, features a ritualized expulsion of players who have been VotedOffTheIsland. The "Flush of Shame" in Season 5, where eliminated players are flushed down a giant toilet, is the most cartoonish but otherwise typical.
91	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "[[Recap/SouthParkS8E8DoucheAndTurd Douche and Turd]]", Stan is banished from South Park for refusing to vote. His ritual consists of him being tied to a horse with a bucket on his head while everyone spits on him and rips his coat as the horse rides away.
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94	[[folder:Real Life]]
95	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackballing Blackballing]] is a method of rejection through secret ballot, traditionally done by casting a black or white ball into a box.
96	* [[UsefulNotes/AncientGreece Ancient Athens]] had [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostracism "ostracism,"]] a process by which citizens could vote to banish a person for ten years. When the ten years were up, the banished person could come back with no further repercussions, unless they managed to get ostracized again. The word "ostracize" comes from "''ostrokon''", meaning pottery shards, which were used as ballots in this practice.
97	* [[UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} The Roman Catholic Church]] has several rituals of rejection:
98	** '''Excommunication''' cuts the targeted individual(s) off from participating in any Church rituals or proceedings, particularly the Seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. It is used only against individuals who have committed grave sins against the Church or the Faith.
99	** An '''Interdict''' has effects similar to excommunication, but it affects an entire area and all its inhabitants.
100	** '''Suspension''' applies only to members of the clergy, and forbids them from performing their office as long as the suspension lasts.
101	** '''Laicization''' also applies only to clergy. It completely revokes any and all granting of clergy powers and rights, and turns the targeted individual back into an ordinary layperson.
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Context Main / RejectionRitual