The Witch of Blackbird Pond is the tale of two cultures clashing. Both the aristocratic Kit and the pious Puritans will have to stop judging each other based on outward appearances and expectations. Kit, who is at first a bit of a snob, thinks the Connecticut landscape is dreary and sees the people as plain – she even mistakes her aunt for a servant. The Puritan community, meanwhile, regards Kit suspiciously, what with her seven trunks of outlandish dresses and her ability to swim. They eventually accuse her of being a witch based on these appearances. Kit and the Puritans must learn to reconcile their values – and how they see each other.
Questions About Appearance
- Why will the whole town be talking about Kit’s seven trunks?
- How does Kit judge the people of Wethersfield when she first sees them? Do her opinions change over time?
- Why won’t Uncle Matthew allow his daughters to keep Kit’s dresses?
- Why does Kit feel peaceful in Hannah’s bare little house?
- Why does Kit give Judith the peacock-blue dress in the end of the novel?
Chew on This
You can’t judge a book by its cover.
The clothes we wear reflect our values; appearance is part of our identity.