Politeness theory explains the redressing of affronts by face-threatening acts to a person's "face". He sets about disrupting social conventions and engaging in sexual and violent affronts to decorum. Since one of God's characteristics is justice, affronts to that justice must be atoned for. Those demands were perceived in London as affronts to British sovereignty. Harper described the killings as "affronts to the values that unite all civilized people". Here Bhadramma always affronts Seeta as sterile. The acclaim and recognition sought and awarded in competition directly affronts this notion. Several affronts against his precursor Wallerstein resulted in a duel which he lost.