illustration of a woman in a black dress with long black hair swimming down through the water toward a smaller human figure

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

by Elizabeth George Speare

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Describing Kit in The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Summary:

Kit Tyler, the protagonist in The Witch of Blackbird Pond, is a spirited and independent young woman. Raised in Barbados, she struggles to adapt to the strict Puritan society in Connecticut. Her free-spirited nature, intelligence, and strong sense of justice often put her at odds with the community, but also endear her to those who appreciate her uniqueness.

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How would you describe Kit from The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

Katharine Tyler, or "Kit," is the sixteen year-old heroine of Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. She is best described as fiercely independent, intelligent, and curious... perhaps even a little too curious for her own good! After sailing to Wethersfield, Connecticut, from her home in Barbados, Kit finds herself to be a bit of a "fish out of water" in this new and strange land. She is not used to the customs of a Puritanical society and her lavish lifestyle and attitudes are not received well in a settlement that is predicated on humility and hard work. It takes awhile for Kit to acclimate to the routines of Wethersfield, and even after she does, her curiosity about the world, rebellious nature, and cheeky spirit often get her into loads of trouble!  

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In The Witch of Blackbird Pond, what quotes describe Kit's character?

Kit is quite a well rounded character. Readers get to see all kinds of different sides...

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to her throughout the book, but one characteristic that remains true throughout the story is that Kit is unafraid to meet a challenge. This stems from a few smaller character traits of hers. She's willing to try things, she's stubborn, and she's impulsive. Readers get to see this side of Kit early in chapter one, when we learn that Kit essentially refused to spend her sea voyage below decks with the rest of the passengers.

Certainly she had not spent the voyage groaning and retching like some of the passengers.

"You're not afraid of the wind and the salt, any- way. At least, you haven't spent much time below."

"Not if I could help it," she laughed. Did he think anyone would stay in that stuffy cabin by choice?

Early in the book, Kit is presented to readers as somewhat materialistic. She has fancy dresses, and she isn't quite sure what to make of the lack of stuff that the Puritans seem to get by with; however, Kit learns to appreciate the simplicity as well. In fact, Kit shows that she might even have a bit of a minimalist tendency. We see this in chapter nine when we are told that she finds a sort of inner peace in Hannah's simple home.

"Tis a pretty room,” she said without thinking, and then wondered how that could be, when it was so plain and bare. Perhaps it was only the sunlight on boards that were scrubbed smooth and white, or perhaps it was the feeling of peace that lay across the room as tangibly as the bar of sunshine.

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There are a number of quotes that point out Kit's impulsiveness, or tendency to act before she thinks.  After she insists on making a trip in the longboat, the narrator says "she already regretted this impulsive trip ashore."  A little later, when a little girl drops her toy in the sea, Kit reacts characteristically - "'Turn back, Captain,' she ordered impulsively."  Kit is aware of her inclination to act impulsively, and chides herself, "I am forever doing foolish things!" 

Kit is genuine and not shy or pretentious. When she meets John Holbrook, the narrator describes her direct response - "'I am Katherine Tyler,' she answered forthrightly."

Kit also has a strong, robust constitution, and is at home on the water.  The author says, "she had proved to be a natural sailor...certainly she had not spent the voyage groaning and retching like some of the passengers."

(all quotes are from Chapter 1)

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What are some descriptive words for Kit in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

Describing words allow readers to create a mental image of what the author is describing. These mental images help the reader to connect on a deeper scale with the characters. As for Kit, the protagonist of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, her characterization by Elizabeth George Speare (the author) proves important. The novel needs her connection with Hannah Tupper to allow Kit to make the connection between her own life as an outcast. In the same way, Speare needs to define and describe Kit in such a way that readers are able to connect as well. 

Words specifically chosen to describe and illustrate Kit are as follows: staring hungrily (1), sudden impulse (5), forgotten (5), guiltily (6), embarrassed (6), curious (6), scornfully (9), uneasy (12), indigent (13), frustration (16), and uneasy (20). 

Given the descriptive and vast nature of the words chosen to define and describe Kit in the first twenty pages, one can see how complex a character she will prove to be. 

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