“Deep down even the most hardened criminal starves for the same thing that motivates the innocent child: love and acceptance.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay - Lily FairchildeAfter reading this statement, you can fully immerse yourself in Australian author Hannah Kent's perception of Burial Rites, through the lens of humanity's universal need for acceptance. Published in 2013 and set in 1820s Iceland, Kent's novel traces the journey of its protagonist Agnes Magnúsdóttir, from rejection to finding acceptance from others and, ultimately, herself. Presented through literary devices such as symbolism and analogy, Icelandic culture and movement across the landscape mimic Agnes' journey to redemption. Set in a distant time and place, Burial Rites is surprisingly relatable as it “gets close to the bones and sinews of the human experience.” As a young person living in a modern world, it's interesting to focus on such a concept, where we ourselves, as a modern society, are still trying to be accepted. Kent's protagonist is exposed to social rejection from early childhood, stemming from her mother's status and identity, Agnes is ultimately rejected by those she loves most, and the culmination of the lowest point in her life. Through Kornsá's family, Agnes is slowly exposed to acceptance, which leads her to the final point of her journey, self-acceptance. Kent's novel resonates with me because of his ideology that in order for society to accept someone for who they are, one must fully accept themselves. It is through this concept that Kent presents the bridges between 1820s Iceland and our modern 21st century society. Kent's novel conveys the basic human need for the cooperative group and the need to belong and be accepted into said groups; like a company. Icelandic society's rejection of Agnes is based on Agnes's class, gender, and sexuality, leading me to wonder if my own society has similar cruxes regarding acceptance. When considering statements such as; “she is a landless laborer raised on a porridge of moss and poverty” and “remember your place Agnes!”, it is clear that Agnes' position in society is biased since her birth. A clear example of this stigma is Margrét's use of the powerful and condemning analogy, "no dove comes from a crow's egg." This “social rejection, consequently, undermines the fundamental need for positive and lasting relationships, which strikes at the heart of well-being”. Agnes's rejection by society is evident from birth and is clearly reflected in her movements across the landscape at a young age. Her family is forced to travel constantly and her mother Ingveldur is used to “letting a peasant get under her skirts” in search of work and shelter. Icelandic society views Ingveldur's sexual activity and homelessness as an autonomous choice rather than a survival need. Their lack of housing and an established position separates them from society's expectations of domestic women and children, relegating them to the fringes of society – literally and figuratively. The belief that one's identity and values ​​are determined by one's status and material wealth can be observed in today's society. Regardless of the goal, greater acceptance is given to those who do not necessarily have better values ​​and notions, but those ofwealth and arbitrary concepts such as birthrights. It is Kent's address to this belief of defining acceptance that allowed me to associate with the difficulties of Agnes' journey to acceptance. Agnes' desperation to escape from the abhorrences and unacceptable gaze of society leads her to impetuously seize the first opportunity to isolate herself. ; Nathan, who "would take her out of the valley, out of the shell of her miserable and loveless life... and give her spring." Nathan's characterization as immediately accepting of a rejected member of society provides the basis for Kent to build Agnes's final step toward complete physical separation. Kent once again describes this mental isolation based on Agnes' position. Placing Natan's farm in Illugastadir, on the remote coast of northwestern Iceland, as opposed to his previous more central locations in Búrfell and Geitaskard. In the “claustrophobic Puritan society” (Singh) that dominated Iceland in the 1820s, those not committed to Christianity were polarized. Natan's lack of religious involvement and Agnes's involvement with Natan result not only in an amplification in her social separation, but also in a reputation as evil and suspicious of witchcraft; a perspective common to traditional texts regarding Agnes and the murders such as; Enginn Má Undan Líta (No may be Lithe) by Guðlaugur Guðmundsson and Dauða Natans Ketilssonar (The Death of Natan Kettilsson) by Gunnar S. Þorleifsson. When she considers leaving Illugastadir after seeing Natan "pull back the covers of Sigga's bed," Agnes's rejection of Natan in favor of Sigga allows her to realize that she has trapped herself in her own isolation. The implication of Kent's imagery describes the toxicity of his relationship with Natan through the unknown “peripheral tongues of rock” that “wound the perfect kiss of sea and sky.” The personification of the landscape depicts Natan's impossible navigation and hostility, suggesting that Agnes' isolation has worked against her; “There is no one and nothing else. There is nowhere else to go." Kent applies dialogue to form the low point of Agnes' journey. Nathan calls Agnes “a nag” and asks her “do you think I love you? . . .You are a cheap woman,” forcing her to “go away!” Agnes being outcast by an outcast gave me one of humanity's most damning and damaging moments. Agnes' final rejection pushed me to consider those on the margins of my society and the reasons behind their circumstances. Whether it is faith, financial status, or family name, it is society's conventional belief that forces those who do not conform to languish in inacceptance. Kent gradually forms acceptance between his protagonist and the women of Kornsá through their surroundings to depict Agnes's rise to acceptance. Established through Agnes' symbolic movement from the outskirts of the northwestern region of Iceland to the central area of ​​Kornsá, where she is detained until her execution. In the same way that Agnes's physical position denotes her rejection, Kent describes the dominant landscape by constructing his characters "at the whim of nature and rears as majestic, cruel and sometimes anthropomorphized" (Laui). Employ zoomorphism, especially in Agnes, to do so; “her arms are tied in front of her… tied like a lamb to the slaughter,” she is led “like a cow” and she wonders if they will “put her in the cellar… like smoked meat.” Kent uses figurative language to represent the setting and “communicate a deeper meaning for the audience to decipher” (Singh). Like theharsh winter weather that ultimately creates an isolated environment that forces the characters to band together. As a result, each character bonds with the unexpected similarities the family has with Agnes. Although initially reluctant, both Margrét and Agnes find mutual respect in each other's struggles and a strong work ethic. They find common ground and, ironically, comfort in the fact that they are “two dying women.” It is this process of seeking similarity that unites humanity, a psychological manifestation that is still a predominant factor in the structure of society. In contemplating her approach to Agnes, Margrét refers to the sagas, realizing that “the only murderers Margrét had known were the women in the sagas, and even then it was with words that they had killed the men; orders given to servants to kill lovers or avenge the death of relatives... But these times are not times of sagas... this woman was not a woman of saga." Margrét's confirmation that Agnes is "not a saga woman" suggests that, although narratives are important in Icelandic culture, a person's life is not a story written from one perspective, acknowledging that she has judged Agnes before knowing her motivations and the situations of his individual context. Allowing Margrét to sympathize and demonstrate acceptance towards Agnes establishes trust and instigates the revelation of the true events of the murders. Kent's establishment of the bond between Steina and Agnes occurs before their meeting. She is the first to hear and give the news of Agnes' lodging and is the only one who remembers meeting Agnes on the street, remembering when she "braided her sister's hair and gave them an egg each." After remembering their meeting, the wind picks up and dissolves the gray ash on Agnese's dress. Agnes sees it as a sign and wonders if it is “happiness, this feeling against her chest.” Kent applies his strong sense of symbolism and constructs the landscape to “dissolve” the “gray flakes”; referring to her pain and allowing Steina to reorient Agnes with an idea of ​​acceptance and happiness. She almost immediately becomes attached to Agnes and feels a connection towards her, as she feels separated and misunderstood for her alternative way of perceiving situations. Steina is assumed to be "making up stories" and Margrét worries as she "smiles at Agnes". Subsequently, Steina's relationship with the protagonist becomes fundamental for Agnes's recovery from social rejection. Also significant is Kent's construction of the name Steina, which translates from Nordic as "a small piece of stone". Iceland has a tradition of creating piles of stones, or cairns, that serve as path markers or lighthouses. The cairns were also used to mark burial mounds and were an emblem of good luck in travel. Steina represents a beacon or marker on Agnes' road to acceptance. Nearing her execution, Margrét “passes Agnes's hands to Steina, as if she were a pledge, or a piece of bread and everyone takes communion from her.” A key point of acceptance is symbolized here; “communion” refers to the family's personal acceptance of Agnes and the significance of their acceptance through reference to their religion. The author's development of the family's gradual acceptance influenced my reflection on whether the Kornsá community had already unconsciously accepted Agnes. Common ground, meaningful connections, and, as a result, a nonjudgmental attitude toward Agnes, and ultimately everyone else, are key to bringing acceptance to any society. With the partial acceptance found through the women of Kornsá, Kent presents the final step in her protagonist's journey:.