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Examples Of Witchcraft In The Azande

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A Series of Unfortunate Events, Azande Style Lemony Snicket (n.d.) stated, “They didn’t understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean it isn’t so”. This is entirely true in the case of the Azande and their beliefs in witchcraft. While many Americans won’t grasp their explanations for how witchcraft works, doesn’t mean the Azande are wrong. The Azande have an interesting fascination with witchcraft. Per E. E. Evans-Pritchard (n.d.:63) “Witchcraft is ubiquitous. It plays its part in every activity of Zande life; in agricultural, fishing, and hunting pursuits; in domestic life of homesteads as well as in communal life of district and court…”. Thus, the Zande see witchcraft as a cornerstone of their society. In this instance witchcraft is used to explain unlikely unfortunate events such as getting food poisoning when no one else does or getting a flat tire on the way to a job interview. Their understanding of witchcraft is that it is, simply put, annoying and inconvenient. …show more content…

E. E. Evans-Pritchard (n.d.:65) stated, “When misfortunes occur he does not become awestruck at the play of supernatural forces. He is not terrified at the presence of an occult enemy. He is, on the other hand, extremely annoyed”. In their society unless an action is caused by incompetence, breach of taboo, or lack of moral judgement (Evans-Pritchard, n.d.:65) evil forces are afoot. One key example is breaking one’s toe after stubbing it on a door jam. Does this happen every time one walks through the doorway? Likely not every time, but why in this instance did the act of stubbing one’s toe result in a breakage? This is a clear example of the Azande thinking in terms of witchcraft. Overall, witchcraft causes unexplained misfortunes because they are

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In the story Bless me Ultima written by Rudolfo Anaya, he uses many components of magical realism, in particular Anaya uses this element very often. In chapter nine of Bless me Ultima, Antonio’s uncle comes to the house explaining that his brother Lucas is dying, and it is because of three witches setting a curse on him. His uncle goes on to explain how his brother got cursed explaining, “‘He drew near and saw that it was no natural fire he witnessed, but rather the dance of the witches’” (86-87). During this event, Antonio and his family are not frightened of that witches had cursed his Uncle Lucas.

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243 Words | 1 Pages

After reading “Devil in the Shape of a Woman: The Economic Basis of Witchcraft “by Carol Karlsen I was intrigued by Karlsen’s interpretation, and upset about the ways women were treated. During these witch hunts women and men alike were accused of the crime, but the majority were women. I found it interesting that she related the commonly known Puritan beliefs, which lead to accusations of witchcraft, with gender roles. She ultimately says that Puritans feared these accused women because they symbolized female independence. I found it shocking that women, often the wealthier, had a greater chance of being let go of their accusations if they had a husband to spoke on their behalf.

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631 Words | 3 Pages

At some point during the 15th century, Witchcraft was a normal part of everyday life. Witches accompanied religious ministers to help the ill or to deliver a baby. They were regarded as having spiritual power in their communities. When something went wrong, no one questioned the ministers or the power of the witchcraft. Instead, they questioned whether the witch intended to inflict harm or not.

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Many of the characters get overly worked up in the possibility of evil spirits and such ideas that they forget the other half of their belief that tells them that there is a God looking down upon them and protecting them. It is human nature to stress about the bad to the point where all good is blocked out, even if it overpowers the bad. It is very possible that people would bend their own wills through witchcraft out of fear. It is human nature to try to pick the lesser of two evils, in this society, witchcraft is the ultimate evil, and even though it is just an illusion, the citizens are frightened of the repercussions of not admitting to witchcraft and being hung. This can be found in the instance where Tituba is found guilty.

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The New Englanders saw mishaps as acts of witchcraft because their culture taught them to think that. They believed that the world was filled with supernatural drives that could do physical effects. It's really hard to not agree with them. I think there beliefs towards witchcraft is rational because there is no other way to explain the things that are going on. Things are too supernatural for witchcraft not to be a real thing that is dealing with the devil.

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159 Words | 1 Pages

Malik Kelley Mrs. Valenzuela English 3 / Period 3 14 NOVEMBER 2017 Colonization:It Must be witchcraft! In 1692 , in salem there were unusual girl that the people of salem assumed was witches. These three girls were very strange and they would be in pain for no reason. It was another set of three girl that told the townspeople that the other three were witches.

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Several centuries ago, many practicing Christians, and those of other religions, had a strong belief that the Devil could give certain people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty. A “witchcraft craze” rippled through

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611 Words | 3 Pages

In late January of 1692, cousins Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams started to demonstrate a strange behaviors. They would bark, flap their arms, contort their bodies, and act as though being choked. This is concerted to be the very start of what will be known as the infamous Salem witch trials. Salem went into a frenzy.

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319 Words | 2 Pages

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, had a focus on two characters and their lives during the great depression . Lennie who has a mentality of a five year old, and George Lennie's friend and caretaker. George has been thinking about leaving Lennie. Although Lennie is difficult to take care of George should stay with him. A character named Crooks tells Lennie about what people are going to do to him without George around.

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These views, in and of themselves, speak to the level of intolerance permeating America and to the level of fear associated with witchcraft. The Religious intolerance and fear experienced in English North America was not a sole construct of Puritanism in New England. These ideas permeated Southwards throughout the length of the thirteen English colonies. Oftentimes, the fear of witchcraft led to colonial governments establishing capital laws against any person entering into communion with Satan.

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864 Words | 4 Pages

Witches practice witchcraft which grants access to let witches have communication with the devil. Furthermore, “the culmination of the mythology of witchcraft came about from the 15th to the 18th centuries in the depiction of the witches Sabbath” (Carroll). Witchcraft is talked about and defined in the book, The Element Encyclopedia of Ghosts & Hauntings, saying, “Witchcraft is an ancient art that utilizes the powers of nature and the mind to bring out desired effect” (Cheung 539). In addition to that, witchcraft works by using certain combinations of natural elements to draw certain energies.

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801 Words | 4 Pages

As I said, what they possibly though were witchcraft back then could be something treatable by now. Unlike in 1690’s, they didn’t have proof to back their hypothesis that it was bewitching. But now that the reason behind the said incidents were already established and proved wrong by people who studied what might have happened back then. People might still believe witchcraft does exist in present time solely because they have no idea that it might just be an illness that they had no idea about. That the reaction of people around toward something can affect greatly on how things can be

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1027 Words | 5 Pages

On the other hand, when someone does something punishable, it is not taken lightly. In fact, that person suffers severe consequences because he or she is believed to be overtaken by evil spirits. To fully understand witchcraft amongst the Cherokee, one has to realize that using medicine, conjuring, and witchcraft have remained an integral part of Cherokee culture even up to the present day (Cherokee Indian Religion). They have used medication as a whole to help with healing people within their

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1374 Words | 6 Pages

There were many human rights violations committed by empires on colonies in Africa. Most of these were rationalized by mercantilism. Mercantilism led to trade restrictions which stopped the growth and freedom of colonial business. 52. Urbanization led to overpopulation Urban growth led to greater poverty but local governments were able to provide service for everyone.

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Dating back to the middle ages, mental illness and odd behaviors were believed to be caused by evil spirits entering one’s body and from the “work of the demon” (Kim, Lecture). During this time, exorcisms and witch hunts

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