A Break with Charity
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| Author | Ann Rinaldi |
|---|---|
| Country | America |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Salem Witch Trials |
| Genre(s) | Historical |
| Publisher | Gulliver Books |
| Released | 2003 |
| Pages | 298 |
| ISBN | 0-15-204682-8 |
A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials (ISBN 0-15-204682-8) is a novel by Ann Rinaldi released in 1992, and is part of the Great Episodes series.
[edit] Book Synopsis
"A break with charity" is told through the eyes of Susanna English who is a girl who lived during the Salem Witch Trials, is an accurate and suspenseful historical fiction novel. Susanna desperately wants to join the circle of girls who she watches with envy, until she finds out what they are doing. they convince many people of witchcraft. They do not need evidence because everyone used to believe in witchraft so much, that all one had to do is accuse someone else of witchcraft, and it was believed. Tituba is a slave, who helps inform Susanna of the girls' doings, until Susanna discovers the truth. She rememberred back to when she wanted to be in the circle herself, and how the accusation of witchraft all started. Susannah wants to tell the rest of salem the truth to stop witchraft, but she is being blackmailed by the girls, who are threatening to call on her famly.
[edit] Summery
Alex Conner
The book, A Break With Charity was written by Ann Rinaldi and is told by Susanna English. Susanna's story starts in the year 1706 which around the time of the Salem Witch Trials. Susanna did not believe in witches; she believed the very mention of such a word was unclean. Susanna soon became involved in this when her mother was acussed of being "...A friend of witches..." when she stood up for someone that was on trial. Susanna lives in Salem, Massaheuses with her mother, father, and sibilings. Susanna was devistated when her mother and many other inoccent people were hanged and killed for being accused. Susanna soon realizes that there is no such thing as witches and wishes to tell everyone, but if Susanna does this, she will risk having her entire family named as witches. Susanna eventually discovers a "circle" of girls that are posing to be "bewitched, posesed, and echanted". These girls were only doing this to avoid their daily chores and create attention. Although this did not seem like something to bad, it turned into a catastrophie when many other girls followed their lead. Most of adults did believe that they were posesed, some were not so convinced. Sussana's father was not convinced. As much Sussana wanted to end this, there was a girl named, Ann Putnam that led this group and threatened to name her and her family all as witches. Susanna did not want to "break charity" with her family and take such a risk. Sussana met some people that helped her put an end to the witch madness. Tituba was a girl that was once a slave and made friends with Susanna. She often helps her by telling her what the girls are doing. This what helped her discover the truth. A boy named Johnathen fell in love with her and soon married her in the story. Susanna's friends were loyal and helpful to her to solve some of the mysteries of Salem. Although it may seem that the hunt for witches or "witch maddness" may seem that there was a reasonable answer, there was not. The hunt for witches in this time was completely pointless. The only reason for these hunts were purely because of the fear of ancient ledgends and misunderstandings. Since witches were thought to be evil, horrible creations of the devil, once someone was accused of being a witch, they would be put on a trial. Not only did you not have any right to defend your self, if the trial names you as a witch (even with no evidence) you would most likely be hanged. This is the subject matter that made Susanna so sad when her mother tried to defend someone and was named as a witch. In the end, Susanna was able to help put an end to the witch madness in her town. It was good to see the end of this and to see know that no more innoscent people would be hanged. Salem agreed to never do this again which mde Susanna English happy to know.
For more details and summeries about this book, please call 770-228-0517
