Monday, September 12, 2016

What evidence of belief in superstition can be found in Chapter 1?

The importance of songs in Kino's mind, family, and culture can be viewed simply as a cultural practice. They are ways to give meaning to events, people, and places. But for Kino, the songs do take on a kind of superstitious meaning. That is to say, the songs are Kino's way of explaining how natural events also have a "super"natural meaning. The Song of the Family gives Kino a sense of warmth and satisfaction. When...

The importance of songs in Kino's mind, family, and culture can be viewed simply as a cultural practice. They are ways to give meaning to events, people, and places. But for Kino, the songs do take on a kind of superstitious meaning. That is to say, the songs are Kino's way of explaining how natural events also have a "super"natural meaning. The Song of the Family gives Kino a sense of warmth and satisfaction. When Kino sees the scorpion, he hears/senses the Song of Evil. The scorpion is not an evil being, nor has it come for evil purposes. It is simply an animal, in nature, doing what it does. But it is dangerous and a threat to the family, so Kino associates it with evil intentions. Thus, he gives it supernatural meaning, meaning that is beyond its nature: 



In his mind a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family, a savage, secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively. 



In response to the threat, Juana recites an ancient magic and a modern Christian prayer to ward off the evil. Reciting prayers and spells in defense against the scorpion and its "Song of Evil" are also superstitious practices. The scorpion is just an animal. But Kino has imbued it with notions of evil. Spells and prayers are recited to invoke or communicate with a God, spirits, and things which are beyond the natural world. 

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