I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem Ch5-9

The most important section in these few chapters is the conception and abortion of Tituba’s child. The reader is left thinking whether this was the right choice. It is questionable whether raising the child in terrible conditions where Elizabeth became so ill to the point of near death or to force a miscarriage to prevent this was morally correct. Also, the atmosphere in the Boston is the complete opposite between Barbados; in comparison, Tituba’s home was bright and livable in Barbados and in Boston it is dark and unlivable.

Additionally, another important scene to note is when Tituba, Betsey, and Abigail go for a walk and witness a hanging. Abigail tells Tituba the woman was being executed for being a witch. This scene foreshadows Tituba’s inevitable death in the near future.

I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem Ch1-4

It appears that Tituba’s love for John Indian dwindles into nothing more than sex. This is portrayed in the text when she loses respect for John especially when he is so willing and subservient to Susanna Endicott. Tituba is repeatedly humiliated just to stay with him. Further in the text, Tituba displays power over Susanna by using her witchcraft to make her sick. Unfortunately, her attempts to claim power over Susanna is diminished when Susanna catches wind of this and banishes John and Tituba. Tituba was also warned by her mentor Mama Yaya not to get into a relationship with John but did it anyway. I believe this may be a reoccurring theme in the text and may foreshadow Tituba’s sorcery and sexual desires only ending in her demise.

Mary Prince 41-End

In the supplement near the end of the narrative, Mary’s previous master, Mr. Wood denies any wrong doing and refuses to emancipate Mary. Mr. Wood’s true colors are in the limelight and to prevent the case from going to court attempts to stall. Mr. Wood’s letter is scrutinized and many of his claims are falsified which makes Mary’s side of the story much more believable to the people. Mary is also proven in these letters by Mr. Phillip’s to be of good character and an honest person.
Mr. Woods doesn’t want this to go public in fear of being ridiculed by the British population. This is justice, although very miniscule, for Mary. At this point all Mr. Woods wants to do is scurry away with his tail between his legs after realizing everything is coming full circle. Mary Prince endured more than we can imagine and it was so that her voice could be heard and future generations can see what true determination is.

Mary Prince 20-41

Mary Prince mentions earlier in the text of having Saint Anthony’s fire on her left leg leaving her almost a cripple. Not only suffering from a skin infection, Mary Prince also develops Rheumatism which is a debilitating disorder that effects the joints of the body. Although a cripple, Mary Prince was still forced to work and beaten. This makes the reader wonder what other infections, diseases, and sufferings Mary Prince had been through which the text has not included.
Furthermore, her willpower to continue on and her tenacity to be free is incomparable to most. The thoughts that were running through her mind that kept her going through all this pain. How was Mary Prince able to convince herself to not give up and see the light at the end of the tunnel? All those sleepless nights and hopelessness and she was still able to find strength and pull through. It’ll come a time when we have a “bad day” and think of Mary Prince. Our worst day is a good day for Mary Prince.

Mary Prince 1-19

In many moments in the text, Mary Prince and the slaves are often described as cattle or sheep and the owners or masters as the butchers. The floggings would involve a slave tied up from the wrists similar to an animal at a butcher shop where cattle are hung from the ceilings. This gives the reader a very graphic detail of how the slaves were treated and beaten. This also occurred at auctions when the slaves were sold off like cattle. They were naked and forced to rotate all around to be examined and sold off to the highest bidder. Mary Prince states that it wasn’t going from one master to another when she was sold off but going from one butcher to another. These personal experiences and descriptive details show a first person view of how the slaves were treated worse than the cattle and pigs on the farm.