The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Speare, E. (1958). The witch of Blackbird Pond. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.

Summary

Even though she has traveled a long way for it, Kit Tyler is not impressed by her first glimpse of America. From the deck of the Dolphin, the ship that has brought her from her home in Barbados, Kit surveys the dreary shoreline of the American colonies of 1687. In stark contrast to the vivid flowers, white beaches, and bright blue waters of her home, the Connecticut Colony offers little aesthetically pleasing landscape. After her grandfather's death, Kit has come to America to live with her aunt's family, whom she has never met and who do not readily accept this unreserved cousin from the islands. Kit, with her high spirits, love of literature and fashion, and outgoing personality struggles to adjust to this rigid, Puritan way of life and it seems as though she will never learn to fit in…nor is she sure that she wants to. Difficulties with patience, politics, religion, unmet expectations, and unrequited love trouble Kit throughout her first year in the Colony. Feeling particularly stifled one day she escapes to the meadow around Blackbird Pond, appealing in its resemblance to the vast seas she left behind. Here she befriends Hannah Tupper, an old widow who makes her home around the marshes and is rumored to be a witch. Although her stern Uncle Matthew forbids it, Kit's friendship with Hannah blossoms and leads to other secret relationships, including Nat, the son of the Dolphin's captain, that will eventually lead the town to believe Kit is a witch herself! With an outraged mob on a witch hunt heading for Hannah, Kit steals her away with Nat's help. After helping prove Kit's innocence at a witch trial, Nat disappears without a word during a long winter in which Kit discovers where her heart truly lies. With spring, Nat returns to Connecticut with his own vessel, christened the Witch, with a promise to never leave Kit behind again.

Worth a bookmark?

I really enjoyed reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I have had the personal experience of calling several places "home" in my life, so I identified with Kit in her struggle to figure out where her true home was. Despite constant opposition from her new family and people of in the town, Kit found a way to do what she knew in her heart was right, like befriending and helping Hannah Tupper and Prudence. What I like so much about her character is that Kit was not disrespectful, spiteful, or defiant in her efforts to maintain her identity and values; instead, she truly tried to blend into her new life. Nat Eaton put it best when he compared Kit to a tropical bird being made to live in a sparrow's world (pg. 127). Kit Tyler is one of my new favorite literary characters and I look forward to reading this book again.

In my library…

A character study of Kit Tyler would be a great way to use this book in a library setting. Students could choose female main characters from other books to compare and contrast the problems and emotions each encounter in her story. This would be a great project for middle school aged girls to explore positive character traits in strong female characters. This book also provides a historical fiction link by weaving in many of the problems that American colonists faced before the Revolutionary War, including conflict with the King, prejudice, and religious intolerance.

Reviews

Strong plot, fully realized characters and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial. (Booklist)

This book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality. (The New York Times)