"[Girard's] methods of extrapolating to find cultural history behind myths, and of reading hidden verification through silence, are worthy enrichments of the critic's arsenal." -- John Yoder, Religion and Literature.
From medieval witch burning to reality TV, this is a brilliantly relevant and timely social history that looks at the obsession, mania, persecution, and injustice of scapegoating. “A wry, entertaining study of the history of blame . . .
This is the debut novel of a marvelous new talent." —Victor LaValle, author of The Changeling N is employed at a prestigious California university, where he has distinguished himself as an aloof and somewhat eccentric presence.
Scapegoat: The Lonesome Death of Bruno Richard Hauptmann
Scapegoats are a universal phenomenon, appearing in all societies at all times in groups large and small, in public and private organizations.
The Scapegoat: Ritual and Literature
The individual, group, or object that is deemed the scapegoat had been perceived as the cause of the troubling circumstances and has become the target of aggression.Scapegoating is the quintessential example of a ritual practice that ...
For his part, John has no choice but to take the Frenchman's place - as master of a chateau, director of a failing business, head of a large and embittered family, and keeper of too many secrets.".
14 Rosemary Garland Thompson, quoted in Rose, The Staff of Oedipus, 34. 15 Ogden, The Crooked Kings of ... Hector Avalos, Sarah J. Melcher and Jeremy Schipper (Society of Biblical Literature, 2007), 36. 21 Frederick Hall, The Pedigree ...
Atthe heart of this book istheissue of scapegoating and sacrifice: howis it thatindividuals and nations endup taking the blame for eventsthathave many complicated causes?Can thisever bejustified? Thenovel explores these questions from ...