LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Surviving vs. Enduring
Slavery and Daily Life
Nature as Knowledge
Desire, Patriarchy and the Difficulty of Feminism
Archival History vs. Memory
Summary
Analysis
Tituba creates a “lament” for her aborted child; in this poem, she sings about losing a moonstone at the bottom of a lake. Tituba teaches the tune to Betsey, and she is surprised to hear Abigail humming it as well. However, Tituba reflects that Abigail is indeed “but a child,” and she comforts herself that “a child could not be dangerous.”
As with the earlier short section, whenever Tituba slips into real grief, the form of the novel changes, reflecting Tituba’s pain and confusion. This passage also shows how generous Tituba is, as she tries to find ways to empathize with Abigail even after Abigail’s repeated cruelties.