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Chapter 8
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Puritan Hypocrisy
Love, Values, and Attraction
Difference, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Home and Belonging
Sexism
Summary
Analysis
At the dame school, Kit is working with several students. As they recite simple but tedious religious rhymes, Kit thinks of how her grandfather must have taught her how to read by making up his own, more interesting lessons. Inspired, she grabs a quill and piece of birch bark and writes a rhyme about Timothy Cook, one of her students.
Because Kit has experience learning outside the Puritan method of teaching, she has some new ideas for how to keep the children engaged and learning. She spontaneously decides to change the lesson, which shows her creative and impulsive nature.
Themes
Timothy reads the rhyme aloud, delighted. Soon, all the children eagerly await their turn for Kit to write them a rhyme about them. As the children watch her every move, Kit thinks about how much she has enjoyed teaching. Although the children started the school quite solemn and shy, they quickly warmed up to Kit.
Kit’s idea has improved the lesson—the children are immediately more engaged in her class. The students have also grown more comfortable with Kit over time. The implication is that they were nervous around her because they didn’t know her, but when they learn more about her, they discovered that there was nothing to be afraid of. Their fears were rooted in the unknown.
Themes
Eventually, Mercy calls out that it is time for the children to repeat the Catechism, and then Kit will tell them a story. Kit’s storytelling had originally been a point of contention between Kit and Mercy. Mercy, who is always patient with the children, had worried that it wasn’t right to have to bribe the children to be good. Kit, however, didn’t see anything wrong with giving the children a treat for good behavior. At any rate, the children love the stories so much that story-time has become an integral part of the lesson.
Following rules is very important to Mercy. She doesn’t like to risk doing anything potentially impious, like encouraging children to be good because they get a treat, instead of encouraging them to be good for religious reasons. But now that story-time has been a part of the lesson for a while without disaster, Mercy isn’t resistant to it anymore—she needed to see how Kit’s different idea played out in the classroom to realize that her judgments about it were incorrect.
Themes
Limited to the Bible, Kit chooses to read aloud the parable of the Good Samaritan. But as soon as she starts, she decides that it could be fun for the children to act out the tale, instead of just listening to it. The children are excited to play pretend—Mercy, on the other hand, is anxious.
Kit wants to alter the lesson plan again, which shows her eagerness to try new things. Mercy, however, is again hesitant to adopt new methods of teaching, likely because she worries that they may be improper. Mercy fears that Kit’s new ideas may have a negative effect on the children simply because the ideas are unfamiliar to her, which shows Mercy’s prejudice against difference.
Themes
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Kit gives several children character roles and then instructs them to begin. Unfortunately, Kit distributes the character roles too carelessly; she makes the rowdiest students the thieves that attack the traveler, who is played by a disliked student. As soon as the play-acting begins, the “thieves” attack the “traveler” a little too aggressively. Kit and Mercy try to stop the children, but they are too slow.
Kit’s impulsiveness comes across clearly in this passage—she perhaps should have chosen the students with more care.
Themes
Suddenly, John Woodbridge and Mr. Eleazer Kimberley, the school master, interrupt the class. Mr. Kimberley breaks up the fight and then demands to know what is going on—he had been passing by to inspect the classroom when he noticed the commotion. Kit announces that the ruckus is her fault—she decided to have the children act out a story from the Bible.
Kit immediately takes responsibility for the chaos in the classroom, which speaks to her honesty. By saying that it is entirely her fault, Kit is trying to protect Mercy from getting in trouble, which shows that Kit is protective of her friends.
Themes
Mr. Kimberley is horrified that Kit would have the children put on a play using the Bible. He informs Mercy and Kit that the school will be cancelled until further notice. Insisting that she is the only one at fault, Kit urges Mr. Kimberley to not punish Mercy. But Mr. Kimberley is unmoved; he will consider whether Mercy is responsible enough to keep teaching.
Mr. Kimberley assumes that play-acting is wicked because the Puritans ban plays. Instead of trying to understand why Kit believes that play-acting could be useful, he judges her according to his religious rules and assumes that she is an incapable teacher. Meanwhile, Kit continues to stand up for Mercy, which shows her dedication to helping her friends.
Themes
After the men leave, Kit catches sight of Mercy crying. Panicked, Kit runs out of the house and, without a destination in mind, ends up in the Great Meadow. She collapses on the grass and sobs. Eventually, Kit stops crying and rolls on her back. Taking in the beauty of the Meadows, she feels comforted.
Kit is upset that she got Mercy in trouble, which shows that she doesn’t like letting down her friends. Although she runs without a destination in mind, it appears that she has subconsciously decided to run to a place where she feels comforted. In the Great Meadows, Kit feels consoled and supported, the feelings that she associates with being at home.
Themes
Suddenly, Kit realizes that she isn’t alone. Sitting up, Kit sees a very old woman only a few feet away—it’s Hannah Tupper, the woman that Judith says is a witch. Kit is immediately frightened; is the scar on Hannah’s face “the devil’s mark?”
Kit is wary of Hannah because she allows the Puritans’ gossip to define what she thinks. Kit’s assumes that Hannah’s scar must have a sinister meaning, which shows how easy it is to misinterpret innocent things when one views them with prejudice.
Themes
Hannah calmly tells Kit that she also frequently comes to the Meadows—she feels a connection to them, too. Kit’s fear fades away as she realizes that this old woman seemed to belong to the “quiet lonely place” and that her voice seemed to be “the voice of the Meadow itself.”
Hannah also feels at home in the Meadows—perhaps she also feels comforted and supported in this place. Kit’s feeling that Hannah belongs to the Meadows suggests that Kit feels comforted by Hannah’s presence. The implication is that Hannah is making Kit feel at-ease and accepted—feelings that she craves and that she associates with being at home. Kit’s fears fade because she realizes that her assumptions were wrong about Hannah—the old woman isn’t scary after all.
Themes
Hannah invites Kit back to her house for something to eat. Curious, Kit follows her. Inside, Kit eats some of the blueberry cake that Hannah offers her. Although Hannah’s house is small and plain, Kit finds it incredibly peaceful. Hannah tells Kit that her husband, Thomas, built it long ago, after they left Massachusetts. No one in town had welcomed them once they saw “the brand on [their] foreheads,” so they lived far away from everyone else.
Even though Hannah’s house likely doesn’t resemble Kit’s home in Barbados—Hannah’s house is simple and plain, whereas Kit grew up on an estate—Kit feels at peace in here, an emotion that she associates with home. This suggests that home isn’t just one specific place—it’s a set of feelings, such as (for Kit) feeling at peace. While speaking with Hannah, Kit realizes that the assumptions about Hannah (like her living alone because she’s a witch) are very wrong—she is isolated because the Puritans of Wethersfield discriminated against her and her husband for their religion (though it’s not yet clear why). Kit also learns that the scar on Hannah’s forehead is another sign of the discrimination that Hannah has faced—her assumption that it is a “devil’s mark” was totally wrong.
Themes
Kit suddenly spots a coral ornament on one of Hannah’s shelves. Smiling, Hannah says she received it from “a seafaring friend.” Kit wonders aloud if it came from her home, Barbados. Sensing that Kit is homesick, Hannah asks her about her home. In a rush, Kit tells Hannah all about Barbados and her grandfather, whom she misses dearly. As Hannah listens intently, Kit realizes that Hannah is the first person in Wethersfield who’s asked her about her grandfather.
Kit is homesick for Barbados and her grandfather. Hannah invites Kit to tell her about her grandfather, and her attentiveness makes Kit feel better. Kit has been missing the love and support that her grandfather used to give her, so she feels touched when Hannah treats her with similar care and kindness.
Themes
At last, Kit admits that she hates her life in Connecticut—she feels like a burden to everyone around her. She tells Hannah about the disaster in school that morning and asks what she should do now. Gazing at Kit kindly, Hannah tells her to follow her.
Kit hates Connecticut because it is devoid of the things that made her feel at home in Barbados. She can’t play and feel carefree in Connecticut, like how she did in Barbados. Additionally, she feels like a burden in Connecticut, whereas she felt loved and cared for in Barbados. But it appears that Hannah is beginning to give Kit the loving attention that she has been missing, as Hannah kindly listens to her and gives her advice.
Themes
Hannah shows Kit a beautiful red flower. When Hannah’s seafaring friend brought it to her from Africa, Hannah was certain that it wouldn’t grow. But the plant persisted, and now it is blooming. Realizing that Hannah has given her an answer, Kit tells Hannah that it’s time for her to go.
Hannah uses a transplanted flower as a metaphor for Kit: just like the flower, Kit is foreign to Connecticut, where she now must live. Although Kit is struggling to adapt and thrive in Connecticut, Hannah suggests that she needs to keep trying. With persistence, Hannah suggests, Kit will be able to thrive, just like the plant.
Themes
As Kit leaves, she reflects that Hannah isn’t a witch, but that she did work “a magic charm”—Hannah managed to calm Kit and tell her what to do. With newfound confidence, Kit marches up to Mr. Kimberley’s house and knocks his door.
Now that Kit has gotten to know Hannah, she is aware that the Puritans’ gossip about her being a witch is all wrong. Hannah is actually a kind and wise old woman who makes Kit feel understood. The only “magic” at work is Hannah’s gentleness and understanding.
Themes
