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Essays on problems of superstition
Essays on problems of superstition
Literary devices in the lottery shirley jackson
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Humanity, since the dawn of time, fears anything they have little knowledge about. Instead, humans create superstitious beliefs based on fear and curiosity. In Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Constance Blackwood, Mary Katherine, Merricat, Blackwood, and Julian Blackwood are a wealthy family that live just outside the town. Six years ago, the rest of the Blackwood family is murdered at the dinner table with arsenic. The townspeople blame Constance because she cooks the food for the family and is an expert with herbs, but she is acquitted of the murder. Despite being acquitted, the townspeople abuse both Constance and Merricat simply because they believe that Constance was the only one who could have killed the family. …show more content…
Merricat first claims that she, “could have been born a werewolf, because the middle of my hands are the same length” (Jackson 1). In the Middle Ages, people used to believe in the existence of werewolves. To explain their existence, people claimed that if both of your middle fingers where the same length, you could be a werewolf. Although advances in technology have proven that werewolves do not exist, Merricat still believes in the superstition. To continue, Merricat also believes in Thursday as being her strong day. She believes this saying, “Thursday was my most powerful day. It was the right day to settle with Charles” (Jackson 125). Merricat believes that Thursday is her most powerful day due to complete superstition. Merricat does not have any facts or evidence to prove her claim. Instead, she believes in the irrationality of her own mind to guide her through what is correct or …show more content…
When her father’s book falls off the tree, she fears that their protection from the outside world has been broken. Merricat worries remembering that she, “neglected to replace it at once and our wall of safety has been cracked” (Jackson 83). Merricat believes in the superstition that the book protects the house from outsiders. She concludes that since the book is not nailed to the tree, Charles was able to make it in the house. Merricat believing that the book is the cause of Charles’s arrival is completely irrational. A book is an inanimate object that could not have had any effect on Charles’s arrival. However, Merricat’s superstitious mind corrupts her into believing so. After Charles enters her home, she tries to remove him from her house by ruining her father’s room. Merricat believes that Charles is a ghost that must be driven away. Merricat explains that Charles, “ would be lost, shut off from what he recognized, and would have to concede that this was not the house he had come to visit” (Jackson 127). Merricat decides to wreck her father’s room to get rid of the demon, in hopes that he will leave her house by doing so. Merricat has become atrociously superstitious to the point where she can’t tell the difference between someone real or just figment of her imagination. Merricat’s superstitious actions resemble her psychotic mindset and how
Numerous individuals may be quick to accuse others of wrong doings that are not necessarily the truth. In this matter, it is evident in the Salem Witch Trails, which happened in 1692, where individuals accused their own neighbors of witchcraft because of unforeseen death or sickness. Moreover, it led to 200 innocent human-beings that were accused of worshiping the devil’s work, which led to 19 helpless individuals who were hanged because of these untruthful allegations. Furthermore, the Salem Witch Trails were a historical event that is due to lack of knowledge, selfishness, and inhumanity.
Karlsen highlights with an remarkable accuracy, the prejudices connected with areas of the particular portrayal of women along with the linkage of the "lady as-witch" idea inside United states tradition. Many contemporary individuals ended up being perplexed by such hasty action against a force that has no evidence. Karlsen brings a plethora of ideas to the table regarding these prejudices and explains in detail, the injustices performed against entirely innocent individuals.
The Castle, directed by Rob Sitch, is an Australian comedy, which delves into the lives of a stereotypical Australian family, the Kerrigans. The film touchs on issues close to home in a humourous way. The audience is introduced to the classic Aussie family, narrated in the viewpoint of the youngest of the Kerrigans, Dale.
Arthur Miller's portrayal of Salem, Massachusetts can be juxtaposed with Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. While the motivations differ, societal similarities exist and both teach us that when a whole society of people have a fear so great that it can be used against them, the society will try to do anything and everything in their power to prevent this from happening. Even when the means of prevention involves innocent people dieing and the judiciary system becoming corrupt, the society will act upon this fear of wickedness and the devil.
In a setting of purity and orthodox, the usage of black and white thinking in the village of Salem had devastating effects. After the creation a brand new society, optimism for a bright future was high. Because of this optimism, the usage of black and white thinking made any anomalies critical in the colonists’ society. The townspeople enacted blind accusations and incriminating false charges based on suspicion which arose from the usage of black and white thinking. From the colony’s staunchly religious setting, black and white thinking became a major cause of the turmoil, suspicion and hysteria that rapidly spread throughout the town. This type of either-or fallacy, like those from the McCarthy Era, turned average citizens into fearful and suspicious vigilantes against unorthodox.
1.Though The Glass Castle is brimming with unforgettable stories, Which scenes were the most memorable for you? Which were the most shocking, the most inspiring, the funniest?
Fear is an unexplainable feeling that is caused by a certain someone or something. Fear plays a significant role in the novel We Have Always Lived in The Castle. With tiny details she gnaws away at things that seem unimportant until the ending of the book. As Shirley Jackson first introduces Merricat, making the reader love this strange, broken girl, then revealing her true nature, one will see how everyone fears Merricat. Constance’s fear of Merricat, the fear that the villagers have for the Blackwoods, and Merricats fear of being without Constance, shows it is evident that fear caused all the major issues in this book.
Hysteria took over the town and caused them to believe that their neighbors were practicing witchcraft. If there was a wind storm and a fence was knocked down, people believed that their neighbors used witchcraft to do it. Everyone from ordinary people to the governor’s wife was accused of witchcraft. Even a pregnant woman and the most perfect puritan woman were accused. No one in the small town was safe.
More than three centuries ago, an entire community in Salem, Massachusetts, just 5 miles from Salem Town fell victim to what would become the most notorious instance of witch hysteria in United States history. The infamous witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts remain one of the most unscrupulous and inexplicable phenomena in the United States, having resulted in a total of 20 deaths and 165 accusations related to Witchcraft within the span of four months. [3] The brief, but tumultuous period has long been a source of debate amongst historians. For nearly a century, it was widely accepted that social tensions and Puritan religious beliefs were the primary cause of the trials, but in the 1970’s, a college undergraduate suggested ergot poisoning might be to blame. Ergotism – ergot poisoning – is born from the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which is known to infect rye and other cereal grains, it produces a chemical known as ergotamine which is the base for toxic hallucinogenic chemicals such as LSD. [2] Studies have shown that the consumption of ergot-contaminated food results in symptoms much like those associated with the afflicted girls in Salem, 1692. [2] Collectively, Ergot poisoning, and the implication Puritanism and Puritan values had on the genuine fear of witches, and socioeconomic tension caused the events that would become the Salem witch hysteria of 1692.
The Salem Witch Trials, a series of horrifying events that occurred over 300 years ago, comprise one of the darkest chapters of American History. They began as two Salem girls lit the spark for a wildfire of hysteria and confusion that would consume the innocence of Salem Village. A year and twenty needless deaths later, the trials were put to a sudden stop. In addition, many theories behind the horror relate to events still taking place in the world today. Although this American tragedy occurred hundreds of years ago, the underlying reasons are still not fully understood.
Suddenly people seemed very paranoid and soon residents were placing blame on one another and accusing each other of witchcraft. In a fifteen month period between 1691 and 1692 nearly twelve dozen people were accused of witchcraft in or near Salem (Norton, p8).
“I have other business to do now.” Charles explains. “I’ll see you later.” The King goes across the hall to check on the Queen. But before he had gone in the room, a feeling of impending doom strikes him. He looks out the window apprehensively. Nothing seems to be wrong. He goes back to his own business. Suddenly, he hears screams from outside the castle. “The kingdom is being attacked!” he exclaims. He runs down the stairs as fast as he can. “Julian, while I lead the army, I need you to keep guard on the room in which the queen is right now.” He commands. “We cannot lose the heir to the throne!” King Ch...
Mary Katherine, a young adult with sociopathic behavior, displays her disorder with frequent outbursts, lack of remorse and disregard for social norms throughout the novel We Have Always Lived in The Castle by Shirley Jackson. Her sociopathic tendencies are constant in the novel with mention that this behavior has been consistent since she was a child. Mary Katherine progressively shows her volatile actions in the story and her actions cause way to a multitude of problems for anyone in her path, especially her close older sister Constance. Her personality disorder coupled with her schizotypal disposition is inherent and not due to being spoiled or temperamental despite her being raised wealthy in a large household.
“livestock die because of witchcraft, family members turn against each other because of witchcradt, servants defy masters because of witchcraft. For every ill in Salem, witchcraft is the scapegoat.’ (56)
“To Build a Castle: My Life as a Dissenter” is a critique on socialist society written by Vladimir Bukovsky. In this excerpt, the reader is presented with the reality of a socialist society and the negativity that accompanies it. By using rhetorical modes such as analogy, comparison, and appeal to pathos, Bukovsky paints a vivid picture of the true nature of a socialist society and how it can only result in decimation of the citizens and the destruction of peace and democracy.