Connelly 1

Alex Connelly
The Witch of Blackbird Pond- LSW
Historical Fiction
April 13, 2015

Kit moving to New England to live with her relatives during an era where Puritan beliefs
dominated the area is extremely important to why this transition is so difficult for Kit. The laws
and norms created by the town are a major part of the struggle for Kit. She came from a place
where she could be free minded and she could enjoy the pleasures of life to somewhere that
believed in the solemnness of life being a good thing and restricted her actions and attitudes
towards life. She is accused of being a witch because of her ambition to teach Prudence. Just like
Hannah, Kit is defined as an outsider because she thinks differently. While this motif is common
in other types of historical settings, the concept that they are living in a place and era where
Puritan law is what is enforced helps create the main plot problem in the novel. The whole feel of
the novel may come across differently if the setting were different in this aspect.
The context of the time era is also really important to the novel. As modern day readers, it
is hard for us to imagine the type of work Kit and her family had to do to survive in New
England during that time. Kit herself had little foreknowledge of just how difficult everyday life
would be from living in Barbados with her grandfather, having slaves to do a lot of the work.
Living in a poor, early-settled place has a great effect on the plot of the novel as well as
contributes to the attributes of the characters. When day to day life is so difficult, there is little

Connelly 2

time for leisure, as Kit finds out. This conflicts with her character schema. She even considers
marrying William Ashby to escape the life of this awfully hard work. I find it interesting that this
book was published by Speare in 1958, a time when modern technology was taking flight,
demonstrating the old ways of living, such as weaving the material for your clothing or making
your own candles. The setting for this novel being in this time era, as well as in a place that has
yet to be well-settled, with a plethora of goods to be exchanged, has its effects on the feel of
the novel.
The third element is that of the schooling oppertunities available during that era and place
setting. Kit sticks out because she is well educated in a worldly fashion. She is well read for a
16 year old female. However, she is forced to stick to the ridged concepts of teaching reading for
the purpose of reading the bible without straying from it while helping Mercy with the dame
school. When Kit does stray from it ever so slightly, things good poorly for our protagonist. The
opportunity for education plays a significant role in this novel. Kit is frustrated with Prudences
lack of education. So, she takes it upon herself to teach the child to read and write in secret.
Without this part of the story, it is possible the ending would not have been as satisfactory,
having Prudence come to save Kits unfair trial. I think that the schooling options play a major
part in the setting of the story told through this novel because without our consideration of the
limited amount of schooling available, we would not have the appreciation we do for Kit and her
free and filled mindset.