summary analysis

Summary Analysis

Cockfighting is thought of as barbaric that involves the killing of roosters for the entertainment of people. From an outsider’s perspective cockfighting is an uncivilized practice that involves gambling. But In Clifford Geertz’s, “Deep play: notes on the Balinese cockfight” Geertz examines the role cockfighting plays in Balinese society. He finds a deep correlation between cockfighting and what Balinese society entails. Geertz stumbled into the phenomena of cockfighting through his participation in a cockfighting match. He soon realized how engrained cockfighting is in Balinese culture and witnessed it through his conversations with locals. He found even though cockfighting is illegal in Bali it’s still practiced by locals. Geertz realizes that Balinese people characterize cockfighting as part of their identity and compares it to the way Americans view football as part of American culture.

Geertz description of the male ego of Balinese men shed a light into the importance of cocks in Balinese culture. His emphasize on the meaning of a cock in Bali showcased the amount of respect and admiration cocks are regarded within Bali. His observation of a group of Balinese men squatting down holding a rooster shows the special treatment cocks receive and it’s obvious that the reason Geertz described it so well is because he is trying to paint a picture of cocks as a possession that is valued rather than an animal.

From my understanding this text begins with the notion of hysteria. What I mean by that is that the raid of the cockfighting match that was attended by Geertz provided an insight into the problem that Bali faces. Even though cockfighting is popular in Bali its regarded by others as barbaric. The divide between the people who see cockfighting as part of their culture and those who see it is as barbaric entails a deeper division within Balinese society. Cockfighting for many is a way of life and the notion of it being illegal doesn’t stop the vast majority participate in it. Geertz finds that to better understand Bali he has to take a deeper look into cockfighting and his observations only enhance the sensation of cockfighting in Bali.

            Geertz ability to assimilate and witness the behind the scenes structure of cockfighting intensifies the magnitude of cockfighting in Balinese society. The rules that accompany cockfighting may seem as stretch by outsiders but to locals it legitimizes cockfighting matches. The rules intensify the matches and Geertz is a master in creating images of cocks fighting. He describes cocks with blades and puts forth a depiction of a vicious picture of cocks fighting.  His description of a cockfight reminds me of gladiators that enter match knowing that they could come out victorious or end up being killed.