Money Spider example essay topic

It may be hard for arachniphobes to believe that spiders ever bring good luck, but this early 20th century good luck postcard proves they do. Further evidence comes from "The Mascot Book" by Elizabeth Villiers, published in England in 1923. According to Villiers, the spider "was popular with the Romans, who had a favourite mascot in the shape of a precious stone upon which a spider was engraved. Also they were fond of carrying little spiders of gold or silver, or any of the fortunate metals, to bring good luck in anything to do with trade". Spiders have always meant good luck to professional weavers and spinners, for obvious reasons, but corroboration of the spider's financial symbolism is provided by a bas relief on outside of the The Bohemian Club building in San Francisco. The club was founded in the 19th century as a place for local businessmen to set aside "Dull Care" and engage in theatrical and sexual "Hi-Jinks", so the image -- of a spider and the words "weaving spiders come not here" -- warns members to leave their financial schemes outside the precincts.

Why is the spider supposed to bring good luck in money matters? I think it is because the spider in its web is believed to attract its prey; thus the spider amulet is believed to attract money to the bearer. In short, Europeans seem to have used spider amulets in the same way that African-Americans use a pair of magnetic lodestones to "draw" money or Mexicans use horseshoe amulets accompanied by pictures of San Martin Caballero as symbolic "horseshoe magnets" to attract money. (Notable styles of Mexican money-magnets include small horseshoe package amulets, El Secreto de la Virtuoso Herradura wall hangings, and the unusual Snow Globe Pyramid of Luck.) Like many other beliefs centered in animal lore, the "luckiness" attached to the spider has diminished during this century, probably because urbanization has rendered our environs virtually free of species other than human beings. Still, some money-magic does yet adhere to the spider, even among the computer-using classes.

For instance, from the United Kingdom, Shona McNeill writes: "There is a relic of this belief in my family -- there is a species of tiny black spider, that we call the Money Spider. If one walks across your palm, it will bring good luck in money". Villiers noted that in France during the 1920's, "the sight of a spider in the house is not fortunate in the forenoon, but if you see it in the afternoon, you may certainly expect a present, the value of the gift increasing according to the lateness of the hour. In a similar vein, my mother, Lise lotte Erlanger Gloze r, recounts the following German verse about finding spiders in the house at different times of day, which she learned as a child in Bavaria, in the early 1920's: Spinne am Morgen bringt Kummer und So rgen Spinne am Nachmittag bringt Freud e am dri tten Tag Spinne am Abend erquickend und lab end Her non-rhyming translation of this verse is: Spider in the morning brings grief and sorrow Spider in the afternoon brings joy on the third day Spider in the evening refreshes and nourishes Elizabeth Villiers wrote, "The idea that to kill a spider will bring bad luck is common still, and most housewives, while destroying the web, will carefully lift the spider and put it out of doors. That killing a spider is followed by monetary loss is the belief in some parts of the country, thus particularizing the kind of ill luck to be expected.

But to see a spider is fortunate so long as it is not hurt.".