Response Paper 1In the book Wayward Puritans, Kai Erikson argues that deviance, the consequences, and punishments of this deviance form a significant mechanism of social regulation. In fact the main purpose of "Wayward Puritans" is to argue that deviant forms of behavior are often overlooked as a valuable resource in society. These forms of deviance provide an essential point of contrast for the maintenance of a rational social order. As a sociologist, Kai Erikson sees our history as a replication of changes in social norms and expectations. In this book Erikson revisits the Puritan society. By exploring and investigating different “crime waves” throughout history, Erikson notes different ways in which we as a society have seen deviance throughout history. Erikson begins discussing his research on the Puritan lifestyle and the influences of deviance; Erikson investigates the Antinomian controversy, the Quaker invasion, and the witches of Salem Village. In the first chapter, Erikson gives a nod of recognition to the work of Emile Durkheim. Erikson notes Durkheim's claim that crime is actually a natural type of social activity. I began to think that Erikson was trying to say that if crime is a natural part of society, there is an indication that it is necessary in society. Erikson argues that non-deviants come together and agree in a remarkable way to express outrage towards deviants and deviance, thus solidifying a bond between members of society. Erikson continues to argue that this sense of mutuality increases the individual's awareness of the common goals of society. In my opinion, Erikson provides the most original and influential application of the functionalist view on deviance. He states: “Human behavior… at the center of the paper… reinforced by Erikson's arguments. It's not often you hear a sociological theory and think “HA HA! I understand." But in this case I felt like I could have a very clear understanding of what he was trying to say. However, even though the evidence of deviance throughout our history as human beings really shows that deviance unites us into one force joint for. what we believe is the common good and morality. Erikson's evidence, primarily court documents, does not constitute an adequate basis for determining a theory to explain the nature of society and its relationship to deviance, I think had truthful documentation of how communities function and studies have responded to deviance at all levels. So far, his study lacks official statistics. However, I believe that this study could be more accurate if there were data collected on the processes where it was possible provide alternative data.