Imagine a place where everyone looks, talks, and acts the same. The individuals of this community have limited access to social media, cellular devices, and the outside world. “Its method of discipline relies on a culture of homogeneity, expressed in its uniforms, its haircuts, even its architecture. The ostensive purpose of the school’s infamous ratline is to break down individual freshmen into one rat mass and rebuild them as VMI Men” (Brodie, 6). However, the young men and women of VMI are unified by similar goals and desires. The Ratline of Virginia Military Institute is an exceptionally unique community, in which members are subject to astonishingly strict rules and high standards, in order to produce educated and honorable citizen-soldiers that will possess leadership and discipline within the public sphere.
My first day in the Ratline was one that will be difficult to forget. Almost instantly, life changed in the blink of an eye as I began to develop a vernacular unique to Virginia Military Institute. The process of learning to talk like a “rat”, the title given to incoming freshman who’re apart of the Ratline, is imperative to success. For example, one of the most prevalent speech mechanisms is the use of a third-person dialect, in which a rat will never say “I have a question”, but rather state that “this rat has a question”. Members of the Ratline never use the word “I” when talking about themselves, nor will they refer to themselves in the first person. Another additional trait of talking like a rat pertains to referring to your superiors by their rank or title. One will never address an upperclassman by their first or last name, but instead as “Master Sergeant” or “Corporal”, depending on their hierarchical status as a cadet. “A discourse community has an explicit or implicit hierarchy and/or structure which, inter alia, manages the processes of entry into and advancement within the discourse community” (Swales, 555). Rules and functions such as these are employed to teach rats respect and discipline for their future professions in the real world. Additionally, another significant feature of the language in the Ratline community are the unique lexis and vocabulary associated with Virginia Military Institute. For example, “dykes” are senior mentors that provide advice and ensure the general well-being of rats. However, “dyke” can also refer to a uniform, e.g., class dyke, gym dyke, or church dyke. As a member of this community, one begins to quickly differentiate between the two meanings of the word based on the context in which the term is spoken. Yet, to an outsider, this unique vocabulary appears as undiscerning, strange, or even disturbing. While researching this discourse community, I was able to conduct an interview with my roommate and fellow brother rat, Jackson Miller. I asked about specific lexis that he has picked up since joining the community. His list went on, and included peculiar terms such as “PT”, “straining”, “getting dyked out”, and “putting out”. The lexis that Miller listed are just a few examples of the unique vernacular associated with the community. Another distinct term in the Ratline community is a “bone”, or to “get boned”. Although the term sounds unsuitable and tasteless for a military environment, being “boned’ broadly refers to receiving a punishment for a negligent act that an individual in the Ratline commits. Overall, learning the language of the Ratline community assisted me in assuming the identity of a student at Virginia Military Institute, an honorable status that cadets carry into the public sphere in the near future. Additionally, the implementation of VMI’s lexis exists in order to train cadets into becoming well-spoken and responsive within their occupations as future leaders. However, understanding the functions of this dialect took time and wasn’t an instantaneous process. “At first you may notice the new and alien assumptions every time you put together a sentence, but with time and increased fluency you stop being aware of them at all” (Klass, 587). Of course the peculiar rules and vocabulary associated with this community took an extended amount of time to adjust to, but in time, I’ve grown more confident in my speech as a member of the Ratline and further developed my identity as a cadet at Virginia Military Institute.
Within this discourse community there is a variety of significant features that define the Ratline and its members. First, there is a standard of knowledge that rats must reach in order to be successful. Upon entering the Institute, every rat is issued a “Rat Bible”, a compact book containing essential knowledge regarding the history and principles of VMI. It is expected of every rat to memorize and perfectly recite various articles and excerpts within the bible, or else a punishment will be administered. This requirement, though tedious and repetitive, is a trademark symbol of the Ratline, which brings together members of the community and further establishes the identities of cadets at Virginia Military Institute. Another key feature which molds the distinctiveness of the community is the RDC, or Rat Disciplinary Committee. The RDC is known for shaping the habits and attitudes of all rats in the Ratline. They have strict authority over all rats and ensure that everyone stays in line. Occasionally, the committee organizes weekly “sweat parties”, in which rats are “cleansed of mind, body, and soul” via intense, strenuous, and nonstop workouts. Through strict discipline, workouts, and rules, the Rat Disciplinary Committee breaks down the rat mass and builds them back up to form a unified class. During our interview, I asked Miller, “how would you describe the functions of the Rat Mass community to an outsider, and do you think they would understand?”, shifting the conversation to a different outlook. Miller stated that, “I would not describe the Ratline’s functions [to someone else] because they would likely not understand. They would probably find it strange”. “I would call this hazing”. He then said that, “I wouldn’t explain it, I think it’s something you have to be here and experience to understand”. These responses reassured me of the unique identity associated with the Ratline’s community. To many outsiders, VMI appears as a strikingly uncomfortable and harsh environment, but somehow, members of the community adapt and adjust to these adversities, and end up being honorable leaders in the public sphere. Another prominent feature of the Ratline are the guidelines members have to follow within certain buildings. For example, rats are required to follow a specific eating pattern during breakfast, dinner, and lunch in Crozet Hall. It is required for rats to eat staring straight ahead, with both arms straight down parallel to their sides, as well as having the feet at a 45-degree angle. Talking during chow is also not permitted. Processes such as these occur for over six months, and the list of significant aspects within this community stretches on. For example, members of the Ratline all have shaved heads, cannot talk outside, don’t have access to cell phones or social media, must strain in barracks, and always adhere to the orders of cadre. I took the time to ask my roommate Miller about his opinion regarding the Ratline’s rules, as well as the rest of the rat mass. He responded by saying “It’s definitely something. It requires a lot of fast adapting. It’s hard. And you have to change your habits to excel in this environment”. Miller went on by stating that “you learn a lot”. “I’ve learned a lot in the Ratline in the past two months regarding how to cope and work more efficiently than I had in nine months in high school. It’s certainly not boring, you feel things when you’re here.” The responsibilities of VMI are plentiful for the rats. “A big problem that I had during senior year was that I felt like there wasn’t much going on”. “Now I have FTX training, classes, and cadre time”. All of these responsibilities reinforce leadership and discipline and train the rats’ ability to manage time and complete duties efficiently. Ultimately, the strict features are crucial to unifying the rats and establishing a brotherhood within the Ratline. These standards further reinforce the identification and existence of the Ratline community and promotes the foundation of an initiated and honorable group of future leaders.
The history of Virginia Military Institute’s Ratline dates back to the mid 19th century, when the school was founded in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia. The discourse community has stood the test of time and has impressively maintained its sustainability. Throughout the years, various mechanisms have had a significant role in preserving the Ratline and upholding the expected standards of VMI cadets. First, one can analyze the character and values of an individual who has attended Virginia Military Institute, and the significant roles they’ve had throughout modern society. A cadet from VMI provides a crucial service to their country, in that most graduates will eventually serve as military officers within the US Military. This critical responsibility has always been in demand throughout US history, and has helped VMI maintain its status as a prestigious and valuable institute due to the nature of the graduates it produces. Furthermore, the Ratline community has had an imperative role in instilling the values of duty, courage, and integrity in military officers who’ve graduated from the Institute. Therefore, the sustainability of this discourse community can be attributed to what VMI does for its country, in producing remarkably valiant members of the military, as well as citizen-soldiers within the public sphere. In addition, a more specific example of this community’s sustainability is the rare challenge VMI presents to those who seek to test their willpower and mental strength. Very few colleges in the United States amount to the demanding environment of the Ratline. However, the unique adversity that VMI offers actually attracts a small group of inspired individuals each year, ranging from about four hundred to five hundred freshmen. The hardships that this community offers are difficult to seek out in today’s modernized and comfortable society. Although many would shy away from this misery, the arduous tasks of the Ratline help sustain the mechanisms of the community, in that it is one of the only circumstances in the country in which a young adult can truly test their perseverance, intelligence, and integrity within a college environment. Ultimately, members of the Ratline community adhere to strict rules and high standards, in order to develop themselves as honorable leaders, disciplined in their fields and professions in the outside world.
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