# Fate and Superstition in Nostromo

> Theme guide for Nostromo by Joseph Conrad.

Superstitious beliefs, like the curse of Azuera's gold and the ominous cry of the owl, intertwine with the characters' fates, suggesting an inescapable destiny tied to greed and violence.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/chapters/i): The local belief in the cursed treasure and the ghostly guardians of Azuera highlights the role of superstition in the community's worldview.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/chapters/iii): Signora Teresa's prayers and invocations to saints contrast with Giorgio's secular republicanism, showing a tension between fate and rationalism.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/chapters/viii): The darkness and stillness create a sense of fate; Decoud reflects on the futility of his mission and the randomness of survival.
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/chapters/viii): Nostromo interprets the owl's cry as an omen of Signora Teresa's death, reflecting his belief in supernatural signs and his guilt.
- [The Solitude of Martin Decoud and the Regenerated Sulaco](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/chapters/x): Decoud's contemplation of the snapping cord and his passive acceptance of death reflect a fatalistic view of his destiny.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/themes/fate_and_superstition
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nostromo_se/themes