Grade XI Compulsory English | Unit: 8- A Few Kind Words for Superstition (XI-English ) by- Robertson Davies (Language Development)

 

“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. I have grown up in a conservative kind of society and I have seen and witnessed all four kinds of superstition that Davies says in my home and community.
The first kind of superstition or as Davies pointed out the Vain Observance reminds of my childhood. I have grown up in a small village in Ghazni, Afghanistan. As a child my siblings and I were not allowed to go out alone at nights. Our village had been covered with trees and bushes and my mother was saying that at nights jinn hide on the branches of trees and do not let us breathe. It remained as a question in my mind and I was always afraid of going out during nights. But after going to school, I learned about trees that they are alive and they breathe oxygen and extract carbon dioxide during nights. I learned that this process makes people breathe carbon dioxide instead of oxygen under shadow of trees at night. After that I believed that there are no jinn and this is just a superstition.
Divination or consulting oracles is another common kind of superstition among the people in Kabul. In every street of Kabul, one can see a man introducing himself as a clergy who could foretell the future events. Among the people who consult the these men, young boys and girls are more visible. As Davies says, “Superstition is linked to man’s yearning to know his fate, and to have some hand in deciding it.” These young boys and girls who are also the educated group of the society believe in the superstition and want to have a hand deciding their fate.
The third kind of superstition or Idolatry is a reminisce to my school and examination days when my class fellows and I myself were doing strange things with our pens like wrapping it with verses from Qur’an or pieces of string brought from pilgrimages. And we believed that we would do better in exams doing so.
Going to pilgrimages or cemeteries and putting the dead persons as an intermediate between the True God and themselves is the fourth kind of superstition. Most of the old women in my region believed in this kind of superstition.
Finally, superstition exists in any society and among any group of people. As Davies mentions in terror of Deity or having some hand in deciding our fate and future.

Source: https://interpretingtexts2013.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/a-few-kind-words-for-superstition/

A Few Kind Words For Superstition Summary

In his essay A Few Kind lyric for Superstition, Robertson Davies focuses on peoples attitude towards fanaticisms and the quaternity main(prenominal) types of superstition. d aneness his essay, he implies that people whitethorn hesitate to pack in believing superstitions, yet it is whateverthing they move part in, as shown at the university he attended. Davies explains how unreasonable things such(prenominal) as Parapsychology, unidentified flight objectS, miracle cures, and transcendental meditation are disapproved in our societies; however, superstition is fairly objected by galore(postnominal) people. He states there are four rows of superstition, as prove by theologians. The first one is swollen Observances, which is var.ed by beliefs. Davies defines Vain Observances with an congresswoman of how his prof sp recoveringed some salt, and then threw a pinch of it over his raise to build the devil in the eye. The second take form is cognize as Divination, which is based on being guided by a religious group. Davies shows this form by means of the caseful of how thousands of people, including one of his professors, partake to the I Ching for good advice. The third form is a ballpark one shown at umpteen university exams, when comfortable items are laid on the learners desks. This form is known as Idolatry.

unseasonable Worship of the True theology is the fourth form, which Davies displays with an engineering student and how he placed a two-dollar account eitherday on the altar of the college chapel, to bribe theology to dish up him with daughter issues. Davies states that superstition seems to exist in humans from the ascendant of their kind, scarce they have a intemperate time admitting it. He conveys that superstition appears very early in life, as shown through the example of when kids fear that stepping on a crack in the paving will bring ill fortune. It also carries on as people grow older, as shown through the example of Dr. Samuel Johnson, who fix it necessary to touch every post he passed. Davies explains many superstitions are common, broad, and very ancient....If you desire to get a honorable essay, order it on our website: Orderessay
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In the essay “ A few kind words for superstition”, Robertson Davies(1913-1995) talks about the many different types of superstitions that are prevalent in our societies. He also categorizes those superstitions into four different types which are:

 1) Vain observance   2) Divination   3) Idolatry and  4) Improper worship of the true god   

         In the essay, Davies says that he lives in middle of a university and he gets to see a lot of well educated people, professors around him everyday. But they all, although being so well learned still follow some kind of superstition or the other which is contrary to the usual belief we have about superstitions that, superstitions are the results of illiteracy and ignorance. But what actually the case is that superstitions are not a matter of beliefs on the basis of one’s culture and upbringing. Hence, however educated or advance you have been, it is very difficult to get rid of these practices which is innate in you. For some it may merely be a beliefs but for many it actually has proven to hold true in every respect. And for those who perceive that superstitions are wrong things prevalent in the human society it may be good to correct themselves and say that these are strong beliefs that people from every race and strata of life entertain and doing this has certainly given much of peace and solace to them.

Source: https://sumnimalimbu.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/a-few-kind-words-for-superstitions/

A. Match the following.

1.                    transcendental - iv. spiritual, nonphysical or mystical

2.                    deplore - i. to feel or express strong disapproval of (something)

3.                    absolve- vi. set free from blame, guilt, or responsibility; release

4.                    juju- ii. a charm or fetish used by some West African people

5.                    crude- iii. natural state

6.                    chronicle- v. 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 your own.

a. condemn: to express disapproval – He has publicly condemned the deal.

l. aloof: not friendly/ disinterested in other people- She stayed aloof while the argument went on around her.

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

Answer: According to the author, the four types of superstition are Vain Observances, Divination, Idolatry and Improper Worship of the True God.

Answer: The word 'superstition' is derived from the Latin supersisto. It means to stand in terror of the Deity.

Answer: Psychologists understand superstition as a compulsion that neurosis does not banish.

Answer: Superstition is a belief in the magical and supernatural powers that are mostly based on myths or pseudo confusing expectations, whereas religion is an integrated system of beliefs in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief. (Answer may vary.)

Answer: Some people of Middle Europe believe that when a man sneezes, his soul, for that moment, is absent from his body, and they hasten to bless him, lest the soul will be seized by the Devil.

Answer: In the author’s view, people are so fascinated about superstition because it in general is linked to people’s desire to know their fate, and to have some hand in deciding it.

Critical Thinking

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

The essay aims to change the usual view that superstition is only harbored by the uneducated and irrational people and introduce a different perspective towards superstition. Every individual, no matter how logical or rational, carries superstitions, and that is a normal and natural trait, although this is not indicated directly. The essayist does not make any precise or obvious points about what the essay will be about, except that it will revolve around superstition.

The essayist believes that many superstitions are so widespread and so old that must have been risen from a depth of human mind that is indifferent to any race or creed. For him, superstition is associated with a human interest to know his fate and to have its role in deciding it.

The essay is satirical. It makes fun of learned and educated people who have nothing to do with superstition, but believe in it. The essayist uses several examples associated with superstition, from his personal life at the University he lives in, his surroundings, and religious studies. These illogical happenings in the essay strongly ridicule the scientific and modern human civilization. Throwing salt over the left shoulder after spilling it, or avoiding walking under a ladder, resolving a matter related to university affairs by consulting the I Ching, placing jujus, lucky coins, and other bringers of luck on the desks of the candidates in an examination hall, etc. are some of the superstitious activities rational persons believe in.

The essayist mocks at his own superstitious behavior: giving four shillings to touch a Lucky Baby before taking exams in college, revealing that he did it for the joke.

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

Education can bring change in the belief of superstition. It improves cognition and the ability of reasoning. Educated people are less likely to be superstitious and can make others aware of the evil practice. At least educated people send the sick to the hospital, rather than to call witch doctors 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 befall when someone fears the unknown. Once the unknown becomes familiar, there is not superstition any longer. If a person comes to know about the actual truth behind various meaningless things, their fear from the mind will be abolished.

It is true that the paranormal things are deep rooted in people’s mind The reason behind this is the impact of society where they grow and cultural practices they involve in. It is difficult to eradicate them, but not impossible. Only educated people can make it possible.

 

Present Simple or Present Continuous/Progressive (Grammar)

Present simple	Present continuous
a. Water boils at100º Celsius.	a. The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?
b. Jenisha lives in Jumla.	b. Jenisha is living in Tokyo for a few months.
c. I drink coffee every morning.	c. I am drinking too much coffee these days because I’m so busy at work.
d. He always tells lies.	d. You are always telling lies.
e. My plane leaves at six this evening.	e. I'm leaving for Pokhara tomorrow.
f. I know her very well.	f. I am reading a novel by Paulo Coelho.
g. At the end of the story, the protagonist catches the killer.	g. In this photo, my mother is wearing a blue sari.

B. Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or present continuous.

a. Nisha …… (speak) English very well.

Nisha speaks English very well.

Hurry up! We are waiting for you.

Excuse me! Do you speak English?

She is having a shower in bathroom.

How often do you read a newspaper?

f. I'm sorry, I …… (not/understand). Can you speak more slowly?

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you speak more slowly?

I usually get up at 5 o'clock every morning.

Look! The river is flowing very fast.

Amrita does not seem very happy at the moment.

a. Water boils at 100° C.

Water boils at 100° C.

The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

I must go now. It is geting late.

I think this is your key.

Do you believe in God?

I usually go to school on foot.

Look! That man is trying to open the door of her car.

The moon goes round the earth.

I'm getting hungry. Let's go and eat.