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Instructions forThe Witch of Blackbird Pond

Packet

We are about to read The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth GeorgeSpeare. To help us with our reading we will be listening to the book on tape.This will also help if you are absent for one of the classes. You can come induring a lunch or 9th period to catch up on what you have missed.

Here are a few simple instructions that will help you be successful incompleting this packet.

• Remember this assignment counts for both English and Social Studies• Work should be done in pen• Always write in complete sentences• DO NOT LOSE THE PACKET!!! YOU WILL NOT GET ANOTHER!• Don't let yourself fall behind• Due Date is:------------------

If you have any questions please ask Mrs. Tator or Mrs. Krajeski. We areavailable during lunch or 9th period.

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I Meet Elizabeth George Spearec

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People often say that writing Is a lonelycareer, but Elizabeth George Speare

never thought so. She simply Imagined her1! characters' world and made the characters

her friends. ~ she developed her stories, she1.felt that' the characters' lives unfolded almostA as if they were.the lives of real people, stand-

ing in the room with her.

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'= Speare felt that her writing was stronglyinfluenced by her childhood. Bom in 1908,she grew up surrounded by a large extended

! family in Massachusetts. Each member of the:- family provided a different model of charac-$ ter for her fertile writer's imagination.••• Speare began writing for fun when she§' was eight. She Joyfully remembered how a

favorite cousin and she would hide them-selves in a comer to share their most recentwritings.

Speare did not, however. begin her careeras a writer until relatively late in life. First,

The WItch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide

she became a teacher, a career she foundboth challenging and rewarding. FollOWingher marriage to Alden Speare, she moved toConnecticut, eventually settling InWethersfield, the setting of The Witch ofBlackbird Pond. The Speares had two chtl-dren.

. When Speare finally began writing inearnest, she described her own experiences.Her first published piece was about familysid trips, Later, she dJscovered that shewanted to write about places and times thatshe did not know flnthand. Speare got theidea Corher first novel, CalicO Captive. afterreading the diary of a real girl who lived InConnecticut during the eighteenth century.After three tries, Speare found a publisher forCaHco CapUve.and the novel quickly becamea success.

The Witch of Blackblrd Pond. Speare'ssecond novel, is grounded in New Englandhistmy. Speare had read stories about Englishchildren sent from Barbados to New Englandfor schooling. She researched Connectlcuthistory, especially that of her adopted townof Wethersfleld, to' add accurate histortcaldetails to the story. She also based one of thecharacters in the novel on her real-Ufe aunt,who was physfcalty tmPafred.-

In 1959 she won the Newbery Medal forThe Witch of Blackbird Pond. Every member oCthe Newbery Medal committee voted toaward the yearly prize to the novel. Suchcomplete support for one book is rare. In herNewbery acceptance speech, Spearedescribed the philosophy that has guidedboth her writing and her life:

I do not beUeve a hIstorical novel shouldgloss over the pain and ugUness. But Ido beUeve that the hero . . . should onthe last page . . . still be standing. withthe strength to go to whatever the futuremay hold.

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c: Speare was once inspired by a writer whosaid, "Htstory is people.· This "personalapproach" to history is apparent In The Witchof Blackbird Pond.

The main character, KIt Tyler, isorphaned when her much-loved grandfatherdies. Kit travels from the Island of Barbadosin the Caribbean Sea to Wethersfield,Connecticut. She hopes to flnd a home therewith her aunt and uncle, settlers fromEngland. KIt finds her new world to be verydifferent from the one she left behind, andshe must struggle long and hard to fit in. Herrelatives are Puritans who have come toAmerica to live according to their religiousbeliefs. The novel itself takes place whenWethenfield is still a fairly new settlementand survival is a challenging task. The placewhere Kit was raised in Barbados was a moreestablished community with different ideasabout religion and social behavior.

In reading the novel, you will also "meet"many other people from the seventeenth cen-tury. Some, like "the witch of Blackbird Pond,"become Kit's friends and help her to adjust.Others fear Kit because she is different fromthem. Many critics have praised the novel farits portrayal rX colonists. One critic says:

The strezwth of this book Hes In Its • . .weU-drawn characters. They are neitherwholly good nor wooDy bad but a veryhuman nUture.

Other critics speak glowingly of the vivid-ness of the novel's historical setting. Spearespent over a year researching the novel tomake it realistic and historically accurate.Wethersfield Is a real place in Connecticut,founded by Puritans in the 1600s. Otherevents in the story. such as the colonists'efforts to preserve their charter, really didoccur. Some of the characters in the story arebased on real people as well.

For many readers, however, the mostinteresting part of this novel Is its themes.

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They Include the ideas of loyalty and justice.As Kit bravely tries to understand heradopted community. she must often ask her-self. Whom must Ibe loyal to? What Is theright, or just, action to take?

THE TIME AND PLACEThe Witch of Bladbfnl Pond Is set InWethersfield, Connecticut, in 1687. Thetown of Wethersfield was. and still is, locatedon the banks of the Connecticut River. It sitsabout forty-seven miles north of the rivermouth. In 1687 the town was a small andfairly new English settlement. It was foundedin 1634 by Puritans from Massachusetts.

The first Puritans had come toMassachusetts from England in 1620. InEngland at that time, people were stronglydiscouraged from practicing any religionother than that of the Church of England.Some English people, however. did not .wholly agree with the Church of England.These Puritans. as they were called. decidedto leave England to build a community where~ey could worship God in their own way.

During the 1600s, the Puritans were con-cerned by the many political changes takingplace in England From 1642 to 1648, KingCharles I of England battled with some of hissubjects for control of the government. Heand his supporters wanted all English subjectsto follow the laws of the Church of Englandand support the monarchy. His opponentswanted rule by a Parliament, or group ofrulers, and more religious freedom. TheParliamentary forces won, and Charles I wasremoved as king and executed in 1649. ThePuritans sided with Parliament and thereforegained power durtng the Civil War inEngland.

In 1660, however, Charles II broughtback the monarchy, and the Puritans lostsome of their power. At the time of The WItch

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide

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of B1acJcbird Pond, the Puritans' power was Ineven greater danger because James II, aCatholic, had become king in 1685.

The Puritan settlen who !OU8htreligiousfreedom in the Wethersfleld area were at firstwelcomed by Native Americans. In fact, theleader cl the Sequin invited Massachusettscolonists to settle Connecticut. He hoped forhelp In fighting his enemies. the Pequots,Some of Wethersfield's early settlers did helpfight and defeat the Pequots In 1637. As moreand more settlers arrived looking Cor land,local Native American groups were graduallypushed out.

In 1636 the three river towns ofHartford. Windsor, and Wethersfleldjolnedtogether to establish the ConnecticutColony. A separate colony, Old Saybrook.wa settled in 1635 but did not join theConnecticut Colony untll 1644.

In 1639 the colony agreed on a set of lawscalled the Fundamental Orden. These lawswere quite unusual for their time because theysaid that lawmaken had to get the people'sagreement on their decisions. The colony alsoadopted a law requiring schools In towns of acertain size. In 1662 the colony received acharter from King Charles II. This documentestablished the colony's boundaries, definedthe colonists' rights. and granted the colonistsa measure of self-government.

By 1687, when Kit Tyler arrived inWethersfield, the community was well estab-Ushed. However, a threat was brewing InEngland. KIng James wanted to Increasehis power in the colonies by joiningMassachusetts and Connecticut. Residents ofWethersfield had many different reactions toKIng James's efforts, especially his attempt torevoke the colony's charter.

Not all English settlers went to mainlandAmerica. Some went to the iSlands ritheCaribbean Sea, found south riwhat is now

. Florida. These earty island settlers sharedgoals similar to the New England settlers.However, the island settlements were quite dif-Ferent from the settlements to the north. Thiswas partly because rX the Caribbean settlers'success at !JOWingsugarcane. Sugar, whichwas easily produced in the warm tropicalclimate, was in g-eat demand and made the

island settlers quite wealthy. Their riches, h0w-ever, were largely acquired ,through the work ~servants wa'king off the price of their Fare fromEngland and enslaved people brought overfrom Africa.

Barbados, the island from which Kit Tylercomes, was England's prize Caribbean posses-sion. It made the most money and had thewealthiest community. Sugar planters lived infine houses, and some were even given titlesby the British government.

DId You KnoW7 _

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide 11

I Before You Read"" "

The WitCh 01Blackbird Pond Chapters 1-8

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BACKGROUND Lvndexl\.Mg J \tn~..rs\- lQ\h-mdB()DTIme and PlaceWethersfield's earliest settlen laid out their town In the English style. Families were given a pieceof land for a house and garden. They also had access to a forest area to find timber and firewood,as well as a meadow in which to grow hay. All the residents shared pasture land known as the•common.· Community life centered around the meeting house, where church and nonchurchoffidals worked together to govern the Puritans' lives.

Puritans beUeved that religion was a very serious matter. Prayer was almost always the firstand last activity of the day. On Sundays older children and adults spent most of the day prayingand listening to sennons at the meeting house .Did You KnDw7Shipping was an important buslness in the seventeenth centwy. The British Navy controlledmany sea routes, making trade between British colonies fairly safe. New England colonists begantradiilg with the British West ~ndies around 1649. They sent foods such as potatoes, cheese, anda variety of onion known as the Wethersfield Red. They also exported hones, candles. and woodIn return the colonists received molasses, salt., coffee, spices, and some fruits. Nearness to theConnecticut River made Wethenfleld a good shipping port, though the river was often hard tonavigate. Most Wethersfield shipmasten made the trip to the Caribbean in the spring and againin the fall.

VOCABULARY PREVIEW . Ca(e I A" d 3auspiciously [65 pish' as Ie] adv. in a manner that suggests a positive outcom ; favorably ~ ~ CUcowed [koud] ad). intimidated "'(A,U n. .ifdisheartening [dis hart' an ing] adj. likely to lower morale rffulsome [fool' sam] adj. insensitivehankering [hang' kar ing] n. strong desirenonplussed [non plusd'] adj. at a loss for wordspunctilious (pungk til' e as] adj. concerned about following rules exactlytimorous [tim' ar as] adj. fearful

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The WItch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide

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Name _ Date _ Class _

IActive ReadingThe Witch 01 Blackbird Pond Chapters 1-8

In the opening chapters of the book. Kit often thinks of her old home. She notices the manyways her new surroundings in Connecticut are different from Barbados. You. as the reader. maynotice even more differences. As you read. list details and emotions that contrast Kit's old Ufewith her new life.

Old New

-warmdi~

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide 13

Name _ Date _ Class _

I RespondingC' TIle Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 1-8

Personal ResponseIn your opinion. did Kit make the right choice in coming to Wethersfield?

What might you have done in her place?

What might you suggest she do to fit into her new community?

Analyzing UteratweRecall and Interpret

1. Explain how and why Kit Tyler comes to be in Wethersfield. Connecticut. What. is her reaction to Connecticut and the community she Joins?

2. What warnings do Nat Eaton and John Holbrook give Kit? What events suggestthat Kit may not fit in at Wethersfield?

3. How do Matthew Wood. Reverend Gershom, and William Ashby feel aboutKing James? What do the men's views suggest about the Wethersfield community?

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Name _ Date _ Class _

c· I RespondingTIle Witch 01 BltJckbil'd Pond Chapters 1-8

Analyzing Uterature (continued)Evaluate and Cor-IMCt4. Do you think Kit makes appropriate choices? Do you think she should have

retrieved Prudence's doll or offered clothing to Judith? Why or why not?

5. How would you describe Matthew and Rachel Wood as parents? What do youthink of the lessons they teach their children?

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I Before You Read1JJe'Kitch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 9-16c

BACKGROUND

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Time and PlaceAbout the same time that the Puritan religious movement was getting started In England,another group called the Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers, was also forming.Like the Puritans, these people broke away from the Church of England. Members of the Societyof Friends believed that everyone could communicate with God directly and Interpret God's will.To them, ministers or priests and fonnal church rituals were not necessary to worship God.

Members of the Society of Friends were persecuted more harshly than were the Puritans in. England. Even In America, Puritans frequently suspected Quakers of witchcraft. Some colonies

refused entry to Quakers. They often fined, jailed, or whipped Quakers.Did You Know?In order to tighten his control on the American colonies, King James IIdecided to unite theseven New England colonies into one "Domtruon of New England," He also planned to takeaway the colonies' original charters, which had given them the right to govern themselves. Theking asked Governor Andros of New York to head the new united colony. In 1686 Governor iAndros asked Connecticut and the other colonies to turn In their old charters. Some colonists iwanted to refuse: others wanted to cooperate. Andros kept asking, and the colonists kept refus- 0

lng. Finally. Andros went to Connecticut on Halloween of 1687. He planned to take the charter ~and declare himself governor, but events took a smprlsing turn. t

.VOCABULARY PREVIEW Reeut eat1 \uorJ· C!4,(eD.. r o. ~ i~ 3 L.OOidA V{ fadroit [a droit '] adj. skilled ~( own. . ~

ncomposure [kam pa'zhar] n. calmness i.daconm [dl kOr' am] n. conformity to standards of good taste j'enthrall [en thrOld '] v. to hold spellbound ~incoherent [In ' ko her' ant] adj. disorganized or hard to understandingenious [In jen ')'as] adj. clever or originalobstreperous [ab strep' ar as] adj. noisy; rowdytryst [trist] n. secret agreement or meeting placeuproariously [up r6r' e as Ie] adv. in a very noisy or funny manner

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Name _ Date _ Class _

I Active ReadingThe Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 9-16

In this section. many of the characters in the book begin to reveal their feelings or attitudes towardeach other. The reader aha begins to understand past and present relationships among the charac-ters. ~ you read these chapters, make notes about these relationships and aWtudes by completingthe chart below. Draw aJTOWSto link characters. Then describe the relationship and feelings eachhas for the other. Some characters wUl have arrows to more than one other character.

Judith

17

Mercy

Hannahis attached toHa"nah cle.spmwarningsabout

wrn:hcraft

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide

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~..Name _ Date _ Class _

I RespondingC/' The Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 9-16

Personal ResponseWhat are your reactions to the people of Wethenfleld and the problems they face?

Analyzing UteraturaRecall and Interpret

1. What methods does Kit use as a teacher-in the schoolroom and with Prodence?How do various people In the community react to her methods? What do thesereactions reveal about people's attitudes?

2. Why don't the people of Wethersfield like Hannah Tupper? How does Hannah. help Kit find a place In Wethersfield?

3. What happens when Governor Andros arrives to take the charter? How do theseevents change Kit's understanding of both Matthew and William?

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I RespondingTIle Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 9-18

Analyzing Uteratwe (continued)Evaluate and CGrIII8Ct4. Why Is Nat punished in the stocks? How does the author use this incident and

others to show the many feelings Nat and Kit have for one another?

5. In her attempt to help both Prudence and Hannah. Kit sometimes disobeys com-munity and family rules. Do you think she is a good friend? Why or why not?

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I Before You ReadThe Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 17-21

BACKGROUND UJY\~I VOl '--loodo{A.,QoR_QL..o::&.)~ _Time and Place -=:rThe 1680s were a dtftlcu1t time for Wethersfield. People became ill from unknown dJseases.Natural disasters destroyed crops and wrecked ships. Settlers worried about their colony's indepen-dence, attacks by Native Americans, river floodings. and religious and political disagreementswithin the conununtty. Sometimes people who knew no other way to explain catastrophes orproblems labeled them a1 witchcraft. In New England. witchcraft. wa a crime punishable by death.The first such trial and execution took place in Connecticut in 1647. Ten other sbnilar trials andexecutions took place In Connecticut In the twenty years foUowing. Three of those -witches- ~erefrom the real town of Wethersfteld.Did You Know?Psychologists who study human behavior say that sensible, honest people may act in an uncharac-teristiC manner when they are part of a large group. This tendency to be Influenced by others iscalled "mob behavior.· Experts say that people in a mob feel less responsible fer their actions andless worried about possible consequences. Also, noise and crowding may excite people and blurtheir Judgment. In any case, people are more likely to act violently or evenJust unfairly in a groupthan on their Own. This is especially true when they feel frightened or threatened in some way.

VOCABULARY PREVIEW ~li d ea.e1 ~ ~A)acl CLre(UL~~._cancoct [kon kokt'] v. to put together Ginstigation On' sta gl' shan] n. act of urging, or incitingint.-c8de pn ' tar sed'] v. to act as a mediator to resolve differencesinveigle Onvi' gal] v. to persuade through tricksperforce [par fOrs '] adv. by force of circwnstancepretematwal [pre' tar nach' ar aO adj. beyond what is ordinarysundry [sun' dre] adj. variousswreptitiously [sur' ap tish' as Ie] adv. secretlytantalizingly [tan' ta ITZ ' ing Ie] adv. mockingly, teasinglyvengeance [ven' jans] n. punishment made to pay back an earlier injury

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I Active ReadingTIle Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 17-21

The novel reaches its climax in its final section. The cUmax is the point of greatest dramatic ten-sion or excitement In a story. Earlier events in the story lead up to this event. After the climax,

. the resolution tells you what happens to all the characters and how the central problems of thestory have been solved. A:J you read, use the circles to record the events leading up to the climax.Then briefly describe the story's resolution in the final circle. Add circles if you need to.

Climax:

tu

epidemic sweepsWe-ther.sflela

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Study Guide 21

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Name _ Date _ Class _..I Responding

C Tlre 'Kitch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 17-21Personal ResponseHow did you feel about the story's ending?

Would you change what happens to the characters? Explain why or why not.

Analyzing UteratureRecall and Interpret1. After john Holbrook leaves to fight a group of Native Americans, what happens

to judith, Kit. and Mercy? How does the community respond?

2. What happens to Kit after she helps Hannah to reach Nat's ship? What isrevealed in these events about the Wethersfield citizens? What is revealed aboutMatthew and the other leaders of the community?

3. How do john. Judith. Mercy. KIt. Nat, and William become romanticallyinvolved? How have Kit's feelings for Wethersfield and Its people changed?

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c: 1 RespondingThe Witch of Blackbird Pond Chapters 17-21

. Analyzing Uteratwe (continued)Evaluate and COfii,ect

4. Do you think Kit deserves her uncle's conftdence when he defends her to thewitch hunters? Why or why not?

5. In the end, Matthew shows himself to be law-abiding, even though he is preju-diced against ~ with dl1ferent Ideas. Do you think it is possible for a good anddecent person to have prejudices? Explain.

Personal Response. This novel raises several questtons about right and wrong. about loyalty, and about

friendship. What questions did you find most interesting? Explain.

What ideas or messages did the novel offer you in answer to these questions?

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