The Definition of Play, The Classification of Games



Reading Response

Introduction

The consideration of any social phenomenon regardless materialized in the spheres of art, work, or the playful language, from a sociological approach has as its starting point the assumption that these phenomena can only be understood by analyzing the inter process -relational between human beings and the society of which they are part and constituent and integral.

Roger Caillois portrays in article “The Definition of Play, The Classification of Games”, classification of the main elements which he considers as a constituent of human games. For the realization of this project, the first step taken by Caillois was the admission of the existence of a large number of games in our society, and these do not bring major consequences for the lives of real human beings, and this element is justified by the fact that the games oppose the serious character of the working activity, highlight, human labor, though often have their origin there gene.

Discussion

It is worth noting, however, that despite the opposition held between the game and real life, Caillois never underestimate the power play activities engaged in shaping the human personality, considering them as important tools of the culture of a people and a society, because through them we can discover much about themselves daily habits and on basic structures of society itself in question.

Besides this historiographical aspect, Caillois pioneered the analysis of economic relationships contained in a long time in playful practices, considering that even though these do not generate wealth, to move them, citing as an example the constant use of gambling society committed for “casinos”, stalls and tables from the Middle Ages.

For Caillois the game can be viewed essentially as an activity:

Free: since, if the player was forced to it, the game immediately loses its attractive nature of ...