TEXT:

“When Butterscotch sleeps with me it means I am going to have a good day, and when she sleeps with ___, it means she’ll do good on her nursing tests”

CONTEXT:

Butterscotch is a cat owned by the informant and her family. She holds folk beliefs about the power of the cat as on several occasions, after the cat has slept with her or her daughter, they have had good luck the next day.

ANALYSIS:

In this scenario, the cat is acting as a sign. A sign is an object, or animal in this case, that helps viewers interpret the world around them. Here, if the cat decides to sleep next to the informant or her daughter, they interpret that to mean they will get a good grade on an exam or have a good day at work. This sign emerged due to personal experiences; they took note of many occasions where they had a good day and the cat had slept with them the night before. This reinforced to them that the cat was a sign of good luck. This sign is also a source of motivation for them. Although the cat is not going to help the informant’s daughter study, or assist the informant in work, it may give them confidence. Just by believing that their day will go well, they will feel more assured in their decision making abilities, which may lead to them getting a good grade or having a good day at work. This demonstrates how signs can have psychological impacts on those who are looking for them. It could also be representative of the affection they have for the cat. Since they love the cat, they cannot associate it with negative energy or influence.