...Superstitions in India 1. A sack full of rice will be spoilt when touched by women in periods! it will also get spoilt if touched by women after having sex 2. Coconut tree, Ashoka Tree, Banyan Tree etc are considered sacred 3. The tail end of cows is considered as most sacred part as fortune Lakshmi lives there!!, 4. The "VAASTU" as a guide for floor plans of a house is a superstitious system, 5. East is the most preferred direction for all activities (I've seen some of them preferring to sit facing east even in the office), 6. Do not proceed , if a cat crosses your way, it brings omen 7. Looking at cat in the morning is jinx, 8. Looking at mother's face or picture of God as soon as you open your eyes in the morning will bring good luck for that day, 9. Giving or taking anything in the left hand is bad (you know what left hand is used for in India ) 10. Never ask the question "where are you going? " while they are leaving house, its purpose will not be fulfilled. 11. Repeatedly yawning indicates that someone is remembering you, 12. Sneezing odd no. of times indicates that something bad could happen, 13. Sneezing once when you make a statement indicates that what you said is true, 14. If a lizard makes a sound when you make a statement, it indicates that what you said is true , 15. Tuesdays & Saturdays are inauspicious for doing anything new or good deeds, 16. Monday is inauspicious day for shaving and thursday is inauspicious...
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...is beautiful but not always easy, it has trials too and the challenges lies in dealing it with an exert effort and courage. There’s no human in this world that’s enjoying success without even conquering any hardships and failures. No wonder the saying “No Pain, No Gain”. Happiness and Victory, Sorrow and Defeat, are the two sides of life and what matter is choosing what side you prefer. There are people who see life with full of pleasures and adventures, a part of discoveries and innovations, a prospect for success and prosperity. Most of those people enjoy and live their lives to the edge. They take obstacles in life as their path through what they want. There are also people who see life with full of failures, burdens and bad omens. They think that their life is horrendous and miserable. They take it so bad, as if there’s nothing good about it. Some of them delight doing crimes as far as committing suicides, a permanent solution to a problem that’s merely temporary. There are times that other people lead them to do it, maybe because they suffered too much bullies and sarcasms that they can’t handle the pain so they decides to do unlikely things. Life shouldn’t control us, instead we should control it. We should choose the right to path, not the wrong one. But there are things that we can’t really avoid; there are moments that we’re down and have nothing to do. At that time, all we have to do is just go with the flow and hope that we will find some commitments at the...
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...Throughout history women in most societies were considered inferior to men. It was preferred that a woman remained in the home rearing children and managing the household. This was also true in the U.S. during the 1600-1700s. Women in the U.S. were not allowed to vote, own property or even own a business on her own. It was pretty much understood during the early develop of farms in the U.S. that women were physically incapable of doing manual labor like men. The natural result of biological differences between the sexes supported the point of view that believed women were unable to compete with men at jobs that required strength and intelligence. It was believed that women are naturally more emotional and therefore less decisive than men. Many believed that they were also less intelligent and with an inferior quality of creativity by nature. Many sociologists and anthropologists maintain that various cultures throughout the world teach girls to behave according to negative stereotypes of femininity, thus keeping alive the idea that women are naturally inferior. Overtime through war, a changing job market due to the introduction of new ways to produce, the decrease in manual labor jobs, divorce and the development of women’s groups, the U.S. was to notice the impact of women in their society and make changes to better accommodate her. There were toward the end of the 1700s women were becoming more vocal about equally between the sexes. An increased in literature written by women...
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...they didn't understand the concept of the sun or moon making shadows. Moreover, it is likely that learned people used superstitions as a means to make the general population abide with certain basic principle of life in order to ensure safety precautions or prevent a situation of fear to arise. For instance walking under a ladder leaning against a wall is perceived to be dangerous, as knocking against it can, not only be dangerous to the person standing on the ladder but also to the person walking under it. Therefore to ensure compliance to such basic safety precautions, this may have given rise to the said superstition of ,”Walking under a ladder brings you bad luck”. It is often said that, “Putting clothing to dry after sunset is bad omen”. This superstition may have resulted from the basic fact that white or light coloured clothing, hanging on the drying line might have appeared like ghosts and scared some...
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...Valerie Valencia English 120 Professor Berger July 9, 2015 Comforting lies INTRO Superstitions date back to God's attempt to explain nature and his own existence. There was a deep belief that animals, nature and objects held a connection to spirits and the spirit world. In order to have a feeling of appeasing these forces, different behaviors or customs arose that would dictate a favorable fate and good fortune. Many superstitions have come from mythology, where omens were common. Superstitions live on because they have been passed on from generation to generation. Even today, where direct evidence and facts outweigh superstitious beliefs, there are probably very few people who can categorically deny that they do not at least secretly harbor a slight belief in one or two superstitions. CLAIM I grew up doing some crazy things, but to me they weren’t so crazy. There are many superstitions my family believes in that are among our Mexican traditions. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I realized my beliefs were indeed superstitious. Many of these beliefs come from deep in our roots and are still practiced in our family today. I realized the magic and also the chaos of believing in extreme superstitions. As I became older, some superstitions I became a firm believer of while others were to silly for me to continue to practice. WARRANT Many superstitions stem from the same human trait that causes us to believe in monsters and ghosts; when our brains can't explain something...
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...The Maddening Struggle The Sphinx, by Edgar Allen Poe, is a story of a man who has to battle his own demons to stay sane. With such a paranoid character, the narrator’s struggle begins to reflect in his daily life, only aiding in his neurosis. The main illustration of his struggles is the insect, later identified as The Sphinx, which does not appear to be what it is. However, the creature is not the only reflection of the narrator’s paranoia. The reader can identify it in the character’s change in behavior, his daily activity, and in the contrast of both characters in the story. Yet it can be said that the largest piece of evidence of the downfall of the protagonist appears as a ferocious creature that could signify the narrator’s death or madness. Therefore, the narrator’s exaggerated siting of the creature conveys his internal struggle with the outbreak that terrorizes his city. In New York, an outbreak of Cholera is rampant throughout the city, causing the narrator to leave and stay with a relative for a while. During this stay, the narrator and his host receive messages of all the friends that are dying from the disease, causing them great distress. However, though the host is filled with worry, he doesn’t allow it to effect his demeanor. Instead, he goes to great lengths to try and distract the narrator, who is allowing the constant news of his friend’s demise to influence his character. While reading a book by the window, the narrator looks up and is surprised...
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...SUPERSTITIONS AND DREAM INTERPRETATIONS IN THE DUCHESS OF MALFIAND ALL FOR LOVE Superstition, a sort of a feeling that takes umpteen number of forms and at times frightens life out of people, takes a special place in the life of a person which might make a person float on cloud nine or perish in dungeons. Superstitions are universal and they do exist even now in the 21st century and the plays before three centuries are no exceptions. The plays during the 16th and 17th centuries were abounding with superstitious beliefs which might seem ridiculous in the present scenario. In this paper we shall see the role of superstitious beliefs and dreams in The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster and All for Love by John Dryden. The Duchess of Malfi is a revenge tragedy and unlike other revenge tragedies here the villain himself avenges the death of the Duchess. The Duchess is a young widow who is in love with Antonio, the manager of her house hold and is steadfast on marrying him. In spite of the threatening of her brothers she marries Antonio with the aid of Cariola. Ferdinand, one of her brothers employs Bosolo to spy her. Ferdinand apart from eyeing the fortune of the Duchess he also eyes her beauty. But Cardinal, the other brother of the Duchess is worried only about her wealth. Bosola passes the news that the Duchess has given birth to a child and Ferdinand in unquenchable fury banishes the Duchess. Ferdinand with the help of Bosola gains a fake key to the chamber of the Duchess and...
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...Communications You are walking down the street and there is a ladder on the sidewalk. Do you go under it or around it? You walk a little further and you see a four leaf clover. Would you pick it up or keep walking? As your walking, you see a black cat cross your path. Would you ignore it or run to the nearest tree so you could “knock on wood”? You may have found that one or more of your answers have proved you to be superstitious. According to Forbes, twelve percent of Americans are superstitious about walking under a ladder, thirteen percent for a black cat crossing the path, and twenty five percent for knocking on wood. We all are superstitious at times and do not even realize it! This topic is appealing to me because it affects everyone. Growing up, my dad was superstitious. He didn’t like the number thirteen or black cats. He would never walk under a ladder and was very careful not to break a mirror. I used to laugh at him but doing this research has made me realize that I’m superstitious in some ways too so I should probably call him and apologize when I’m done. All countries have their own superstitions that they believe in. First we are going to look at the different superstitions each country follows. Arturo Bartolome lives in Spain and tells the superstition of Salamanca University. There is a frog carved on the wall in front of the doors to the school. Students must touch the frog for luck on test days. It’s believed if they do not touch the frog...
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...Mark Echard Mr. Wylie Period 7 9/17/12 A Boy One With Nature Huckleberry Finn is a unique character who stands apart from the rest of society. He is an outlaw of sorts, and lives by his own rules. He considers nature his true home and looks down on those who live by the standards of “normal” life. Huck does as he wishes and lives life to the fullest. He is even interesting enough to write an entire book on. Huckleberry Finn doesn’t conform to societies standards. A good example of this is how he refuses to believe in any organized religion, and when he forced to by miss Watson he doesn’t feel like he gets anything out of it. He has tried praying but every time he asks of God for something he does not see any results. Huck has his own type of religion though; he finds God in natures beauty. He appreciates nature in all of its splendor and there are many examples of this throughout the book. Huckleberry Finn is also a very superstitious boy. Huck’s superstition tends to revolve only and around things that cause bad luck not good. This can be seen multiple times in the book. One morning Huck accidently spills the salt, he quickly realizes what he has done and hastily tries to throw some salt over his shoulder to counter his actions. Miss Watson quickly stops him from doing it and as a result he is on the lookout for bad luck for the rest of the day. Huck is also a liar. He loves to lie, and not just little lies here and there, but big and very complex...
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...There are many superstitions throughout this book that play a very important role. Most of them dignify a person’s character and their beliefs. Superstitions are things that people make seem true but they are not. Most superstitions are created to scare people or change their evil ways. In chapter X, Jim and Huck are discussing how Jim says that it is bad luck to touch a snakeskin with your hands. Huck doesn’t believe him because they found money in an overcoat they took from a house that was tilted on its side from the flood. This superstition symbolizes the relationship between Huck and Jim. In the beginning Huck didn’t believe in helping slaves, but as the story progresses he learns don’t have many differences. This superstition is about Huck flinging a spider into a candlestick, he believes that killings spiders brings bad luck. He tries a lot of different methods to keep from form wishing bad luck upon him. This superstition tells us about Hucks childhood and the things he was taught. We can also tell he is uneducated. There are a series of superstitions in chapter IV, Jim tells Huck about these situations that will bring him bad luck. He mentions how birds predict the weather, and if you catch a bird it brings death upon you or your family. Hucks mindset is based off of superstitions, but when it comes to everyday knowledge Jim is inexperienced. This is the reason why he doesn’t quite know how to get himself out of certain situations. In conclusion...
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...The Evil Nature and Evil Omen “Design” by Robert Frost and “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died” by Emily Dickinson use natural objects as symbols. In the poem “Design,” life forms within nature are connected and under the influence of a greater consciousness. In “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died,” Emily Dickinson talks about seeing a fly as she takes her final breath. By focusing on natural objects within the poems, both poets reveal the negative nature of their chosen symbols. In the poem “Design,” a spider symbolizes death; in “I heard a Fly Buzz When I Died,” a fly figures as the omen of death. In first stanza of “Design,” Frost describes a spider as “dimpled,” the flower like a “froth,” and the moth like “white satin.” However, in line 4, the spider, flower, and moth are also described as “assorted characters of death and blight.” Frost chooses his words carefully throughout the entire poem. Deirdre Fagan and Robert Seltzer state that “he intentionally contrasts the white innocence of the description of all three characters with the seemingly horrific actions they undertake. Even the spider, which is apparently the exterminator, is described in terms usually applied to infants (‘dimpled’ and ‘fat’)” (Fagan and Seltzer 49.) At this moment, it is difficult to understand how innocence could turn to death and evil. Frost describes the moth as being made of “satin cloth” and the spider as a “snow drop spider” (Frost 7). These reveal Frost’s appreciation of the beauty of the...
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...Erica Simser Superstition and Religion According to most definitions of superstition, religion is a superstition. But ironically, most religions forbid or denounce its practice and belief. Also ironic is the many superstitions based on religions and held by many religious people. Christianity is one of the religions that expressly condemn superstition, yet many superstitions come from Christian origins. For instance, crossing your fingers for luck was originally another form of making a cross during prayer. Knocking on wood was akin to touching the cross and becoming closer to Jesus, not an act to ward off something you didn’t want to happen. Walking under a ladder was first an omen in ancient Egypt. They believed in a trinity of gods, so the triangle (the shape made when a ladder is open or leaned against a wall) was considered sacred and walking through it was a desecration to them. Christians borrowed this idea for their Holy Trinity as well. The number 13 being unlucky is believed to have been a result of the 13th member of “The Last Supper” being Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer. I personally don’t believe in superstition but my grandmother was a big believer. There are a lot on things that I remember her doing to ward off bad luck. One was when we would be at a checkout line at a store, if the amount due on the cash register was $6.66 (or anything that had those three numbers in it), she would grab a pack of gum to change the total. I also remember her throwing salt...
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...In The Alchemist, a narrative by Paulo Coelho, we follow the journey of a young shepherd named Santiago. Santiago refuses to follow his expected path to priesthood, and instead, he embarks on a voyage to find a treasure he dreamed about. Along the way, he meets many important individuals, faces many obstacles and trials, and learns important lessons. This narrative is told in third person and shows us the thoughts and maturation of each character. Though this story has many themes, one theme that is constantly reinforced by the characters in this story is that, by listening to our omens, we can unlock our personal legend. We are first introduced to omens by Santiago’s mentors. Though Santiago gets many omens from beginning to end in The Alchemist,...
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...“Luck, Greed & Money” Success or failure brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions is Luck; which Hester understands but still is not willing to give up their luxurious lifestyle. D. H. Lawrence describes their living style in “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” in a pleasant house, with a garden and servants to feel superior to anyone in the neighborhood. Hester marries for love, and it turns into dust. She had two little girls and a boy, whom she tells that luck is everything, and her “good luck” is ruined by her husband’s “bad luck.” They did not live a poor life style, but Hester is to compete with other families by having the best and most stylish living. She is always looking for ways to earn more money, but fails. This greed was turning Hester into a Heartless mother, she complains about not having enough money that the house starts to echo the phrase, "There must be more money!" This statement caused her son Paul, feel the need to help find more money. He does this by gambling with the gardener at the horse race track and wins a lot of money. As he wants to start giving his mother some of the money on yearly basis, she ends up wanting it all. The more she gets, the more she wants, without realizing where it was coming from. Everyone in the neighborhood thinks Hester is a good mother, who adores her children, but only she and the kids knew that it wasn’t true. She always showed love to her kids but could not feel it in her heart because there wasn’t enough...
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...Superstitious Beliefs . FUNERALS : No Sweeping No bathing or showering Don’t visit 3 different wakes in one day A pregnant women should not attend interment Family members should be the first to leave the house or place of wake and should not look back. They must wait for the funeral car to pass by before they can then leave for the church. MARRIAGE: The bride should never try on her wedding gown. Doing so, is preventing the wedding to push through. It is also considered a bad luck for the couple to see each other the night before their wedding. The groom should be in the wedding venue before the bride arrives to avoid bad luck. Giving an arinola (chamberpot) as a wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to the giver and the newlyweds Siblings are not permitted to marry within the same year for this is considered bad luck. The remedy to this belief, called sukob in our native tongue, is to have the one marrying later pass through the back entrance of the church instead in the main door. CHRISTENING : After baptism, the baby must be brought out of church ahead of the other babies for it to receive the first graces and therefore live a prosperous life. the child that cries during baptism is a sign of prosperity. the louder the cry, the richer the child will be. cutting a baby's eyelashes during their first month will make them long and beautiful. WHILE EATING : When a spoon falls down, it means a female guest is coming. If a fork falls down...
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