What are some themes in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

Most novels have many themes.  The Witch of Blackbird Pond is no exception.  You can find key themes by reading the novel.  What are some ideas that are shown throughout the book when you read it?  Here are a few themes with textual evidence from the story:

- Kit shows loyal friendship throughout the story.  She befriends Hannah Tupper, who is not accepted in the town because she is mysterious and a Quaker.  Kit is loyal to her even though their friendship is frowned upon.

-  Duty is important to daily life in Puritan Connecticut.  Aunt Rachel, Mercy, and Judith are dutiful to their daily chores and the expectations of their community and Uncle Matthew.  They work all day to run the household.

-  Love is shown throughout the story.  Kit shows love to Hannah Tupper and lonely Prudence.  She shows love to Mercy by going to Mr. Kimberley (a man who "'isn't known for changing his mind'") and negotiating about her cousin's position as the dame school teacher.

What repeated ideas do you see when you read the novel?  What characteristics do the main characters have?  Are these characteristics shown repeatedly?  These are ways that you can find a theme.

What are six themes in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

There are multiple themes depicted in Elizabeth George Speare's novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Perhaps the most prominent theme in the novel is that of personal identity. Given that the novel is a coming of age text, which follows the trials and tribulations of the protagonist, Kit, struggles to define not only who she is, but who she believes she should be.

Another theme depicted in the novel is an individual's duty to community. At times in the novel, the duty of the individual infringes on a character's ability to self-define.

Two themes, which go hand-in-hand, relevant to the novel are those of change and continuity. Given that these forces either work against each other or with each other, the characters in the novel are constantly struggling to find out if their own history needs to influence a change in them or help to define them for good.

Transcendence is another theme ever present in the novel. Kit is moved by her experiences with nature and its impact upon her life. It seems that when she "interacts" with nature, something in her life has changed (or is transcended).

One final theme from the novel is the impact of religion. Puritanism lies at the core of the novel. Puritans were very strict about their ways of life and their ideologies. Their days were to be spent doing one of three things: working, praying, or reading the Bible. Ant actions a person took which were not deemed holy, the person, typically, would be considered a heretic. The fact that Kit does not feel a true tie to her own religion, both the Puritan way of life and her own religious identity, forces the theme of religion to be one of an overwhelming nature (for both Kit and engaged/sympathetic readers).

Identify and describe two main characters in The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Kit Tyler is the main character who serves as the story's protagonist (good guy). As she is not raised a Puritan, she comes into frequent conflict with the residents of Wethersfield. Having come from a wealthy family, she learns much about the hard labor involved in surviving the rigors of colonial life. She is a good character for the adolescent reader who is experiencing normal conflicts with society and adults. As they seek to attain independence and become their own, unique personality, they must learn to cope with society's rules as Kit did with her wardrobe, doing back-breaking labor, and attending church. The reader also learns how trying to do the right thing (helping Prudence learn to read and befriending Hannah) can lead to unexpected consequences. There is one character that truly suits the role of the antagonist (bad guy). That would be Goodwife Cruff. She personifies the rigid, unbending nature of Puritanism and the superstitious bigotry of ignorance. Her abuse of Prudence and accusations of witchcraft against Kit make her the only, truly antagonistic character in the story. Primarily written as historical fiction for young adults, even history buffs can learn of the difficulties in life in the Puritan colonies.

Are there any themes in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

I believe the main one deals with bigotry and prejudice. The Puritans escaped to the colonies to pursue religious freedom denied to them in England. When they became established as a colony, they in turn denied religious freedom to groups such as the Quakers. Hannah had been driven out of her prior colony along with her husband. He built them a cottage on the edge of a swamp to have limited contact with the Puritans of Wethersfield. When things went badly, such as the disease that swept Wethersfield, the people sought an explanation to their misfortunes. Since they were not an educated group, superstitious ignorance took over. The blame had to be laid at the door of something that was different or unexplainable. Hannah, being a Quaker, was different. Since she was different and also did not attend church meetings, she could well be a witch. This superstitious ignorance could also be another theme because it happened in WWII in the Holocaust.

Who are the main characters in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

The main characters are all discussed in the "Themes and Characters" section of the enotes quicknote on this book:

http://www.enotes.com/witch-blackbird-qn/65836