Superstition in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example

significance of superstition lies in its ability to demonstrate the connection between past and present. This is shown by Huckleberry's reaction to knocking over the salt-cellar in the early morning. According to traditional beliefs, spilling salt in the morning is seen as a sign of bad luck. In ancient Greek culture, salt was highly respected as a symbol of life and was considered sacred because it could preserve food. It was even used in rituals and sacrifices for supernatural beings. Therefore, spilling salt was viewed as a bad omen and suggestive of potential danger in one's life. To ward off this misfortune, people would throw the salt-cellar over their left shoulder. However, Miss Watson interrupts Huck before he can do this action. Consequently, Huck becomes afraid that something terrible will happen to him during the day, whether it is an accident or some other unfortunate event.

Consequently, superstition seeks to illuminate traditional beliefs in society. This is exemplified in Chapter X, where Jims affirms, "You said it was the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snakeskin in my hands" (Chapter 10). In today's society, touching snake skin is regarded as a negative omen and believed to bring misfortune. Previously, it was believed that touching a snake would result in having nothing. Later on, Jim kills a snake while searching for tobacco. Unfortunately, at night, Jim gets bitten by the snake's partner after Huck places the dead snake on his feet. Huck comments, "I made up my mind I wouldn't ever take hold of a snake-skin again with my hands; now I see what had come of it" (Twain 52). He further adds,"Anyone who

still doubts the foolishness of handling a snake-skin after all that it has done to us will surely believe it now when they read on and see what else it has done for us" (Chapter 16). To prevent further unfortunate incidents, Huck instructs Jim to perform rituals as they would have done traditionally. Jim also demonstrates his belief in traditional superstitions when he believes that if a brood of chickens leaves a certain area and one catches a chicken from that group, someone will die. Although the belief that Jim's father died because he caught a bird struck by lightning is more fiction than truth, it remains a significant superstition. When his father fell ill, the grandmother speculated that his time was limited due to catching the bird.However, the text acknowledges that attributing the father's death solely to this event is not logical. It suggests that other factors may have played a role, such as the possibility that the father may have eaten raw chicken or that the chicken itself was infected. Despite these alternative explanations, Jim remains unconvinced of the cause of his father's death due to his personal experience with superstition after being bitten by a snake.

Another example of superstitious belief is mentioned in Chapter VIII, where Jim talks about how counting ingredients while cooking dinner could bring bad luck. He strongly believes that doing so could result in stomach issues for those who consume the food. Women are specifically advised against counting ingredients and instead should cook with whatever is available.

Furthermore, it is considered a misguided superstition to shake the tablecloth immediately after sunset, as it supposedly chases ancestral spirits that bring

good fortune to the family. Additionally, Jim believes that if a man who owns beehives dies, it is important to inform the bees before sunrise; otherwise, they will abandon their hives.

Nevertheless, these fictional superstitions do not manifest in real life. Jim's strong belief in superstitions can be attributed to both his lack of knowledge about the environment and his personal experiences with them.

The author aims to demonstrate how personal experiences can shape one's understanding and belief in certain concepts through this novel. The story explores various prevalent superstitions within society and how Jim becomes consumed by them.The author supports embracing change, even though some beliefs about the unfortunate consequences of a spider being burned by a candle flame, spilling salt, and touching snake's skin may not be widely accepted in today's society.