Examples Of Superstition In Huckleberry Finn
Superstition. Do you ever realize how much of an impact this “thing” has on people along with their beliefs, actions, and fears? Just imagine what life would be like without these bizarre unjustified beliefs we randomly come up with...quite boring if you ask me. I could go on and on talking about how crazy I think this is, but, it can also be a bit interesting once you come across it. Let me introduce you to superstition and its impact on a few characters in one of Mark Twain’s novels, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. One of the main characters, Huck, is a great example of being superstitious as he displays it quite a few times throughout the book. Early in the novel, Huck is sitting alone in his room and all of a sudden a spider crawls up his arm and he instinctively flicks it off into the lighted candle. Huck then
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says, “I didn’t need anyone to tell me that that was an awful bad sign and would fetch me some bad luck” (pg.5). This clearly shows that Huck is against killing things because he suspects that it will bring him bad luck in the future. Also, this superstitious act implies to the reader that Huck will be more of a fragile character through the course of the novel. As you can see, superstition can also be helpful to the reader in understanding a character. In the novel, superstition is even used as a target for why certain incidents occurred. For example, Jim had believed that when Huck touched the snake-skin it would bring bad luck not only to Huck, but to him too! “You said it was the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snake-skin with my hands”(pg.51). This particular example shows the certain extent of how strong their beliefs are and how much of an effect it has on their lives. To me, as a reader, it also helps me understand the close relationship that Huck and Jim have with one another as Jim sees Huck as part of him by believing the snake-skin will also bring bad luck to himself. As I had kept on coming across these Jim and Huck’s acts of superstition, I was almost convinced of thinking that it controls their lives.
Here, take a look at when Jim had fetched a hairball from the fourth stomach of an ox. As crazy as it sounds, Jim actually believed that it was magic and that it was some sort of fortune teller. Also, when Huck found tracks to his father’s shoe, the first place he thought of going to was Jim who had the “magical” hairball. “He said it would tell my whole fortune if I wanted it to”(pg.18). This example more importantly shows how superstition somewhat distances Huck and Jim from reality to a certain degree. Although it is quite arguable depending on what standpoint you see it as. Whether it is from their lack of education, or their level of matureness.In my opinion, this definitely is convincing enough for me to believe that superstition shapes Huck and Jim’s lives and even shapes the novel itself. All in all, I think Mark Twain uses superstition in the novel to point out the fact that it saves Huck as he tries to get away from society and superstition is his way of protecting
himself.
says, “I didn’t need anyone to tell me that that was an awful bad sign and would fetch me some bad luck” (pg.5). This clearly shows that Huck is against killing things because he suspects that it will bring him bad luck in the future. Also, this superstitious act implies to the reader that Huck will be more of a fragile character through the course of the novel. As you can see, superstition can also be helpful to the reader in understanding a character. In the novel, superstition is even used as a target for why certain incidents occurred. For example, Jim had believed that when Huck touched the snake-skin it would bring bad luck not only to Huck, but to him too! “You said it was the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snake-skin with my hands”(pg.51). This particular example shows the certain extent of how strong their beliefs are and how much of an effect it has on their lives. To me, as a reader, it also helps me understand the close relationship that Huck and Jim have with one another as Jim sees Huck as part of him by believing the snake-skin will also bring bad luck to himself. As I had kept on coming across these Jim and Huck’s acts of superstition, I was almost convinced of thinking that it controls their lives.
Here, take a look at when Jim had fetched a hairball from the fourth stomach of an ox. As crazy as it sounds, Jim actually believed that it was magic and that it was some sort of fortune teller. Also, when Huck found tracks to his father’s shoe, the first place he thought of going to was Jim who had the “magical” hairball. “He said it would tell my whole fortune if I wanted it to”(pg.18). This example more importantly shows how superstition somewhat distances Huck and Jim from reality to a certain degree. Although it is quite arguable depending on what standpoint you see it as. Whether it is from their lack of education, or their level of matureness.In my opinion, this definitely is convincing enough for me to believe that superstition shapes Huck and Jim’s lives and even shapes the novel itself. All in all, I think Mark Twain uses superstition in the novel to point out the fact that it saves Huck as he tries to get away from society and superstition is his way of protecting
himself.