Main insight: The ethical standards embraced by the Mayor grants him high moral position in the society.
In order to rise and become a moral figure of authority in the society, an individual has to receive consecration by the general public. As argued out in the film, Durkheim strictly points out the importance of a society when it turns to matters of moral authority. The society is therefore seen as a very key aspect of destiny determination in moral matters. During his church attendance, the mayor fully demonstrates his ethical standards. This decision does not solely comprise of church attendance step but also commitment to take part in fasting. As can be noted in the film, the society is viewed to constantly create sacred things from situations that cannot meet full comprehension in the normal sense. In most cases, these sacred things normally arise from the ordinary ones.
The normal perception of the society as it is in the film is that it has found in the mayor various principal aspirations. Additionally, the society sees an opportunity of satisfying all these aspirations observed in the mayor. These two key aspects thus make the esteem him high above the rest of the characters in the film (Durkheim 1985:124). Another factor that demonstrates Mayor’s ethical standards resurfaces when he openly leads the people to boycott an immorality plot against the River rats. In most occasions, the villagers have shown high level of respect for the mayor. This is demonstrated by their consistent acts of listening whenever he gives any directives. The villagers thus obey every bit of suggestion offered by the Mayor’s leadership. A case in point when the villagers showed that they obey the Mayor is when they took part in boycott of the river rats (Durkheim 1985:130).
References
Durkheim, Emile. 1985. "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life." Pp. 117 - 135 in Readings from Emile Durkheim. New York: Routledge.
