Candidates' response to this question was poor owing to lack of understanding of what sympathetic magic means and the role it played in the life of the caveman.
Some candidates defined sympathetic magic as superstition which is done by art of China, Hausa, etc. Some defined it as the intaglio process printing area, raised above the surface or raised above the level of the block surfaces etc.
The expected answer is
(a) Sympathetic magic:
- It is a belief that there is a relationship between an object and its image. What affects the image also affects the object in reality;
- it is also a belief that in nature, there is an attraction between things that resemble each other, as a result painted animals attract live animals. Therefore, the greater the resemblance, the more powerful the magic.
(b) The role sympathetic magic played in the life of the caveman:
- The caveman enjoyed this magic in hunting expeditions;
- before hunting, the caveman drew the picture of the animal he had in mind on the cave wall;
- he inflicted wounds on any part of the drawn animal, believing that the soul of the animal is destroyed before hunting;
- he developed a remarkable retentive memory as well as with initiative artistic skill for the success of his hunting;
- he accurately recorded fleeting moments such as a deer poised for precipitous flight, listening in hesitation or charging bison;
- the greater resemblance of his painting, the more powerful his sympathetic magic which led to the greater success of his hunting expedition;
- the application of the magic aided the caveman in his quest for his living and clothing.
