Cult Entrapment Tactics Used at St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls
The way Kathryn Lasky described the goings-on of St. Aggie’s in The Capture were honestly disturbing and so accurate to well-studied cult tactics that I began to wonder how much research she did.
**obligatory note that just because a group uses some of these practices, it is not inherently a cult and all groups should be evaluated on an individual basis when it comes to these things.
Isolation
These owlets have been taken from their families and have zero support system. The hard part of isolating these new members is already out of the way. The owlets are also seemingly discouraged from speaking to one another prior to the moon-blinking, meaning that they can’t make friends to help them figure things out or formulate plans. In our modern world, making friends outside of the cult is discouraged because those friends may point out concerning behaviors within the cult leadership/members. It also keeps the member trapped because they have the illusion of having nowhere else to turn were they to ever leave the cult.
New Names
Each of the owlets is given a new number-name upon arrival. This new name is meant to establish an identity within the cult and separate the member from who they were before entering the cult. Following the Specialness Ceremony, each owl is given another new name. This name promotes a sense of identity and accomplishment within the cult, providing further incentive not to leave. This is also probably why Grimble was not as thoroughly entrenched in St. Aggie’s. He had a sense of identity before entering the group, having been a fully grown owl with a family. This tactic was notably used within the Heaven’s Gate group, but examples can also be seen on LDS missions or in Jehovah’s Witness communities with the use of terms like “elder” or “brother/sister”.
Love-Bombing
Pit guardians are often seen giving “special treats” or allowing Soren and Gylfie time to take naps away from the monitors. Auntie Finny is also shown complimenting the young owls (especially Hortense) quite often. These acts of kindness make the owls whose perspectives we see feel as though they are being treated specially and that they have someone to confide in. However, it is very unlikely that these owls are actually seen as “special” by the pit guardians and each owl is likely treated much the same. This tactic is used as an incentive to keep someone in the group and to diminish a member’s perception of the harm done to them by the group (see how Soren was treated by Auntie after his plucking).
Trance States
The most obvious example of this is moon-blinking: inducing a very clear trance state to prevent the members from engaging in critical thought or thoughts of flight/their prior lives. The less obvious extension of this is the use of song. During work at various places within St. Aggie’s, during the kidnappings, during initiations, the owls of St. Aegolius are singing almost constantly. The songs are meant to keep the owls focused on their tasks or on the greatness of their organization, not on any other thoughts. The use of music to induce trance-like states can be seen in big-tent revival churches or in Pentecostal churches (although these are not inherently cults and should be evaluated individually).
Thought-Stopping Techniques
Any type of group that discourages questions should be seen as automatically being red-flagged. Whether it be asking for information or calling into question the actions of authorities/other members, asking questions is a very important tool in critical thinking and keeping yourself out of trouble. An example in the book that could almost slip under the radar is the pelletorium guide’s summary of flecks. They seem uninterested and give the newer owls a lackluster explanation that they were given previously. The moon-blinked owls in St. Aggie’s seem to have entirely forgotten how to ask questions, taking any action or request of those around them at face value. Members of cults are encouraged to accept any information given to them by “trusted sources” and only that information, giving the cult a great deal of power over not only the members’ actions, but also how they perceive the world.
Public Humiliation/Punishment
Prior to Soren’s public punishment, he was reported on by his peers. In cults, it is often encouraged to self-report bad behavior or to report bad behavior in other members. Often those that report on others are rewarded in some way for maintaining the integrity of the group. Also, knowing that one could be reported on by peers acts as a deterrent to acting in ways that the group deems to be undesirable.
Soren’s experience with laughter therapy would be traumatic for anyone — having your mistake paraded around in front of a group of your well-behaved peers for them to laugh at you. Further, Soren was plucked (presumably publicly) which is, again, a very painful experience. Following his plucking, he would also have had to walk around among the other owls as his feathers grew back in, continuing his humiliation. Not only was this process to deter Soren from future question-asking, it also serves to deter other members from following in his footsteps.
