Class 11, Language Development, Unit 8, Humour and Satire

 

UNIT-8

HUMOUR AND SATIRE

 

“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” Dale Carnegie

 

A Few Kind Words for Superstition

William Robertson Davies (28 August 1913 – 2 December 1995) was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best known and most popular authors and one of its most distinguished "men of letters", an unfashionable term Davies gladly accepted for himself. Davies was the founding Master of Massey College, a graduate residential college associated with the University of Toronto.

 

 

“A Few Kind Words for Superstition”

In the essay “A Few Kind Words for Superstition,” Robertson Davies defines superstition and its four kinds which he describes as Vain Observance, Divination or consulting oracles, Idolatry and Improper Worship of the True God. Davies claims that he has lived in the middle of a large university and he has seen superstition in any and each corner of the university and among the people who were rational and educated. Similarly, superstition does not belong to just a certain kind of society or certain a group of people.

 

In “A Few Kind Words for Superstition,” Robertson Davies suggests people superstition is common, despite a general unwillingness to admit it. Rather than constructing a formal expository or literary essay, Davies discusses employs informal anecdotes and musings to talk about his experiences with the four major types of superstition. The essay appeals to the emotional side of a reader more than the logical, rendering the text something between a narrative and descriptive essay. A narrative essay usually relays a more linear narrative about real life experiences, while a descriptive essay tends to focus on objects, places, and situations with detailed sensory information. While Davies incorporates some personal experience, he also relies on generalizations about formal religions and historical information that he doesn't appear to have any direct experience with. If the style was more formal, I would expect to see direct evidence and citations.

 

Instead, Davies offers a handful of casual observations regarding the tendency for North American middle-class people, mostly those involved in the university system, to exhibit superstitious behavior without openly admitting it. Davies looks through the lens of what “theologians” call the four branches of superstition: “Vain Observances,” “Divination,” “Idolatry,” and “Improper Worship of a True God” (3-6).

In discussing Vain Observances, he tells an anecdote about “a deeply learned professor of anthropology . . . throwing a pinch of [salt] over his left shoulder.” In discussing Divination, he cites “another learned professor [he] know[s] who . . . had resolved a matter related to university affairs by consulting the I Ching” as well as “thousands of people [in North America] who appeal to the I Ching” whose “general level of education seems to absolve them of superstition.” In discussing Idolatry, he describes supervising an examination room and seeing many “jujus, lucky coins and other bringers of luck . . . on the desks of the candidates.” Finally, he describes Improper Worship of a True God by relating a secondhand story about an engineering student who would put a “$2 bill . . . under a candlestick on the alter of a college chapel” for a romance, who “thought that bribery of the Deity might help” (3-6).

 

Next, Davies questions if religion is turning into a sociological pursuit. He makes a blanket claim about the psychoanalytical explanation for superstition, takes a brief glance at the history of common superstitious practices, such as saying “bless you” after a sneeze, and notes the popularity of astrology in newspapers and fashion magazines. After an example of his mother's childhood superstition, killing spiders on July 11th so that it might rain and spoil the Orangemen's parade, Davies concludes by noting his own superstitious behavior: giving four shillings to touch a Lucky Baby before taking exams in college.

 

Glossary

Superstition	-	Excessively uncritical belief in and reverence for the supernatural/bizarre
grave	-	Serious
renaissance	-	rebirth
Irrational	-	illogical
Parapsychology	-	Extrasensory perception/sixth sense
UFOs	-	An unidentified flying object is any aerial phenomenon that cannot immediately be identified or explained
Miracle	-	Wonder
cure	-	heal
Transcendental mediation	-	a specific form of silent meditation
Enlightenment	-	The action of enlightening or the state of being enlightened.
Condemned	-	Destined
deplored	-	Strong disapproval
Naiveté	-	Credulous/innocent
Manifestation	-	Expression
theologian	-	a person who engages or is an expert in theology
Anthropology	-	the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, and societies, in both the present and past, including past human specie
Pinch	-	to tightly press something
wink	-	a facial expression made by briefly closing one eye.
Devil	-	Evil spirit
Resolved	-	firmly determined to do something
Divination	-	the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means
I Ching	-	An ancient Chinese oracle based on a 300 year old manuscript of Chinese wisdom called “the Book of Changes” with interpretations inspired by the elements of nature
Embarrassment	-	Humiliation
Idolatry	-	Worship of idols
Jujus	-	Good luck charm
Improper worship of the true god	-	Trying to pay off the god to get something/bribery of the god.
Altar	-	the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services
Chapel	-	a small building or room used for Christian worship in a school, prison, hospital, or large private house
investigation	-	Examination
Bribery	-	Enticement
Oracle	-	Prophet
submerged	-	Underwater
Chronicle	-	Account
Prevalent	-	Widespread
Deity	-	Holy being/god
Minatory	-	expressing or conveying a threat
placate	-	Pacify
Cajole	-	Sweet talk
unbidden	-	without having been commanded or invited
Compulsion neurosis	-	A mild mental disorder
orthodox	-	Conservative/superstitious/rigid
Melanesian	-	predominant and indigenous inhabitants of Melanesia
antedates	-	precede in time
Astrology	-	Horoscope
Sober	-	Calm
Love philters	-	A drink with magical power, The receiver starts loving to the person who gave It to him.
The battle of Boyne	-	The Battle of the Boyne was a battle in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland, versus those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II, had acceded to the Crowns of England and Scotland in 1689
Orangemen	-	an Irish Protestant and political society, named for the Protestant William of Orange, who, as King William III of Great Britain, had defeated the Roman Catholic king James II
Gypsy	-	a nomadic or free-spirited person

 

 

 

WAYS WITH WORDS

A. Match the following.

a) Transcendental                   - spiritual, nonphysical or mystical

b) Deplore                               - to feel or express strong disapproval of (something)

c) Absolve                              - set free from blame, guilt or responsibility; release

d) Juju                                     - a charm of fetish used by some West African People

e) Crude                                  - natural state

f) Chronicle                            - a written record of historical events

 

B. Find the contextual meanings of the following words from the text and then use them in sentences of our own.

Condemn        - express complete disapproval of; Most of the leaders roundly condemned the attack.

Terror              - horror/fear; The sound of guns being fired fills me with terror.

Unbidden        - arising without conscious effort; He walked into the room unbidden.

Persist             - continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition; if the symptoms persist for more than a few days, then contact your doctor.

Devout            - religious; she was a devout Catholic.

Banish             - get rid of (something unwanted); All thoughts of romance were banished from her head.

Creed              -  a system of religious belief; a faith, Other countries have adopted this political creed enthusiastically.

Hasten             - be quick to do something; I hastened back to home after buying new clothes.

Sober               - serious, sensible, and solemn; His eyes were twinkling, but he maintained a sober expression.

Scorn               - feel or express contempt or disdain for; He tended to scorn technological advances he did not come up with himself.

Yearning         - a feeling of intense longing for something; He felt a yearning for that beautiful girl.

Aloof               - not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant; He stayed aloof from the bickering.

Swarthy           - dark-complexioned; swarthy men with gleaming teeth are attractive.

Humbler          - not arrogant or prideful; His parents were typical examples of all that is best among the humbler families of Scotland

 

 

C. One of the ways to understand words and their meanings is to learn that the origin of word. For example, the word ‘expand’, which means ‘to spread out or extend’, comes from Middle English ‘expanden’, derived from the Latin word ‘expandere’: ex- (out) + pandere (to spread). Trace the origins of each of the following words finding such explanations in a dictionary or the internet. Then make sentences by using each word.

 

Words	Origin	Explanations	Example Sentence
Minatory	Minatory comes from derivative of the Latin verb minari, which means "to threaten." Minatory was borrowed directly from Late Latin minatorius.	Latin word minatorius comes from Latin minari, Latin -torius (-ory; used to form an adjective.). which means ‘threatening”	He is unlikely to be discouraged by minatory finger-wagging.
Placated	The word is derived from Latin  word ‘placatus’	Placate still carries the basic meaning of its Latin ancestor: "to soothe" or "to appease."	He tried to placate me when I was angry.
Cajoled	borrowed from French word ‘cajoler’	"to give much attention to, make a fuss over, flatter, persuade with flattery,"	In the second, he was in no mood to be cajoled by his father.
Antedates	from Latin ante "before" + date	, "to date before the true time,"	This event antedates the discovery of America by several centuries.
Proliferated	Proliferation came first borrowed it from French in the 18th century and was later shortened to form the verb proliferate. ...	The French adjective prolifère ("reproducing freely") comes from the Latin noun proles and the Latin combining form -fer.	Rabbits proliferate when they have plenty of food.
Philter	French philtre (1560s), from Latin philtrum (plural philtra) "love potion," from Greek philtron "a love-charm," properly philētron, literally "to make oneself beloved," from philein ‘to love’.	"love potion, potion supposed to have the power of exciting sexual love,"	I sell a great deal of this philter, especially to ladies.

 

C. List any five words found in an English dictionary beginning with prefix ‘super-’.  What common meaning do all of these words share? How do the words in your list change meaning if you eliminate the prefix?

a. superpower - an exceptional or extraordinary power or ability

b. supernatural-  attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature

c. superman - man 'over' all others.

d. superstar -star 'over' all other sports or music stars

e. superhuman - having or showing exceptional ability or powers

 

Common meaning of super:  above, more than normal, or excessive

Change in meaning by eliminating the prefix ‘super-’

a. power – control/authority

b. natural – ordinary/normal

c. man – a male person

d. star – celebrity

e. human – a being/person

 

COMPREHENSION:

Answer these questions:

a) According to the author, what are the four types of superstition?

Ans:- According to the author (Robertson Davies) of this essay, there are four types of superstitions- i) vain observances, ii) divination, iii) idolatry and iv) improper worship of the true god.

 

b) Which language is the word ‘superstition’ derived from? What does it mean?

Ans:-  The word ‘superstition’ is derived from the Latin word ‘supersisto’ which means ‘to stand in terror of the Deity’.

 

c) How do psychologists understand superstition?

Ans:- According to the psychologists, superstition is an obsession and our mind can’t ignore it.

 

d) How does superstition differ from religion?

Ans:- Superstitions have their origin mainly in folklore and may have no factual basis. For example, seeing a black cat cross your path or walking under a ladder or a mirror cracking - are all considered bad omen. Thus they are superstitions. Religion on the other hand is based on some historical happening as documented by scholars at that time.

 

e) What is the belief of some people in the Middle Europe about sneezing?

Ans:- According the Middle European people, a soul is supposed to be absent from the body of the person during the time s/he sneezes and people bless him/her that time to avoid the so-called seizure of the sneezer’s soul by the Devil.

 

f) In the author’s view, why are people so fascinated about superstition?

Ans:- In the author’s view, people around the world are so fascinated about the superstition because they have been risen from a depth of the human minds to satisfy the yearning to know their fate  and somehow superstitions decide their fate.

 

CRITICAL THINKING

a) What is the key takeaway of this essay? Do you think that this essay is satirical? Why?

Ans:- This essay “A Few Kind Words for Superstitions” is written on the basis of the discussion among the writer Robertson Davies and his friends on the topic “the renaissance of the irrational”. According to the essay, not only common people believe on superstition, but also it has been flourishing among rational and learned people like professors. Such superstition can be described in four forms-i) Vain Observance such as avoiding walking under a ladder, throwing a pinch of salt over left shoulder to hit the Devil in the eye etc, ii) Divination, such as tossing a coin to declare fate, consulting an oracle, iii) Idolatry such as carrying jujus, lucky coins, and other good luck charms, and iv) Improper Worship of the True God such as tucking a $2 bill under a candlestick on the altar of a chapel, bribery of the deity etc. The essayist believes that, superstition exists since humans are in terror of the deity. It starts to flourish in humans since childhood though it is unwanted. Even psychologists say that superstition is a compulsion that our neurosis doesn’t banish it. They are widespread and old and dumped in the depth of human minds. Not only in the past superstition is proliferating widely even today. The evidence of such widespread can be seen in the popularity of astrology in famous magazines and newspapers. It is popular because humans have yearning to know their fate and think that superstitious behaviors decide their fate. 

 

The essay is satirical because the writer satirizes himself, rational, learned and even professors for not denying the influences of superstition. The writer brings different examples to satirize the educated people who believe in superstitions. The professor of anthropology threw a pinch of salt on his left shoulder believing that this hits the Devil in the eye, an another professor consulting oracle to settle university affairs, learned people carrying good luck charms, an engineering student bribing of deity etc. There are several examples in his surroundings. Superstitious things are illogical, unscientific, and un-experimented; however people believe them for ages. These things have really ridiculed science and modern people. It is really funny! People who believe on logic and science are controlled by illogical and superstitious things. Not only the professors and learned people surrounding the writer are mocked, the writer mocks himself. He is not far away from superstition because entire human beings believe it. Once he also paid four shillings for touching a lucky baby hoping he would never fail examination. Now he thinks he had done that for a joke.

 

b. Can education bring change in the belief of superstition? Present your agreements to support your answer.

 

Superstition basically means to possess a thinking or belief that is not based on any knowledge or logic.

Many people around the world are superstitious. The only difference is in the forms of superstitions. Many educated people hold some forms of superstitions. Even many teachers are having their own superstitions. They may not say but their actions show. Many office buildings in part of the world do not have 13th storey. People living in this part of the world do not like the number 13, as it reminds them of Friday the 13th, a day of supposedly bad luck.

 

Education can make people less superstitious. At least educated people are more likely to send the sick to the hospital, than to call priests to cast out demons in order to cure the sick. Education provides an understanding of the diseases, the cause and the cure of the diseases. Superstitions are due to fear of the unknown. Once the unknown becomes known, there is no longer any superstition. As imperfect human beings, no matter how much science has made progression, we will not be able to gain complete knowledge on everything. There will still be some areas that we can never know.

 

We may never know the cause of the psychic power that some people possess. We may never invent something to capture, and harness the psychic power and use it to our advantage. As mortals, we have a fear of dying. Not knowing where we go after death. Not knowing how and when we are going to die. This is the greatest unknown factor that causes all the superstitions in the world. Education can never eradicate superstitions relating to death. Nobody knows how to stop death from claiming all of us. Nobody knows how to predict the time of death accurately for everyone of us. Nobody can prove that the dead are enjoying life or suffering in any other places. Since education cannot stop us from fear of dying and death, people, even highly educated people, are still superstitious. Can education eradicate superstition? It is not likely in the foreseeable future. It is only when human beings gain complete knowledge of everything, then education is able to eradicate superstition. For the present, education does reduce a lot of superstitious beliefs around the world.

 

WRITING

a. Write an essay on superstition that exists in your community in about 250 words.

Superstitions are as old as man. The earliest men who had no scientific knowledge fell on easy prey to superstition.  Thus, illiteracy and lack of knowledge and capacity to reason out are the hotbeds which generate and perpetuate superstition. Mahatma Buddha was probably the first great man to expound and explain the value and significance of reason which eliminated superstition altogether. He emphasized that everything should be thoroughly studied, judged and tested before being believed. Later, many other great men like Guru Nanak and Kabir exhorted the people to shun superstitions.

 

Many people may believe that faith is also a form of superstition. But, as we can see if we think deeply, there is a difference. Faith is a positive factor whereas superstition is a negative factor. Earlier, superstition was rampant in villages. The belief in ghosts was common. It was believed that these ghosts operated at night and that they were visible to some people and invisible to others. Taking advantage of this many clever men burned into tan tricks and controllers of ghosts. They cheated the gullible villagers. Unfortunately, even at present, such clever men are at work.

 

There are many kinds of superstitions which are observed by common people. The throbbing of eyes, a cat crossing our way, coming across a Brahmin-all these are believed to be inauspicious. The cawing of a crow indicated the possibility of a guest visiting our house that day. Similarly, if we come across a sweeper early in the morning, it is considered to be auspicious. We should try to develop a scientific spirit of mind and judge everything on the basis of reason.

 

 

b. “Superstition is prevalent in every walk of life.” Argue for or against this statement.

 

Superstition, though unscientific, illogic, not proven, unnatural, is widespread and inhabits in the depth of human mind. Most of humans fear of god and death and yearn to know their fate. No one can erase such things as a result superstition takes its grip on us. Modern inventions of science and technology are unable to erase the fear of god and death as well as cannot predict people’s fate. But people want answers to these questions and only superstition can address them. Let it say coincidence or effect of superstitious influence, there are some connections to superstitious index and future events. Sometimes, the ignorance of a cat crossing the road results into a mild or a serious injury.