I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem

In the week that she is in prison, Tituba makes friends with her new cellmate, a beautiful, young, pregnant white woman named Hester. Hester asks questions about Tituba’s past, and she expresses her disgust at Salem society. When Tituba admits that she is accused of witchcraft, Hester is shocked, knowing that Tituba can do no evil. Hester then explains that she is in jail for adultery, even though the man who impregnated her continues to roam free.

Hester explains that she was forced into marriage with a man she despised, and that she actively strove to abort all of their children with a variety of potions and home remedies. Tituba shares that she has done a similar thing. Bonded by their shared experiences, Hester confesses that she is still in love with the minister who got her pregnant. She also tells Tituba that she will likely be forced to wear a scarlet letter on her breast for the rest of her life, so that the whole town will always remember her as an adulterer and a pariah.

Tituba begins to tell the story of her life to Hester’s pregnant belly, and the two women lament the trouble men have brought into their lives. However, despite their increasing intimacy, Tituba does not tell Hester all of the details of her personal history.

Hester helps Tituba prepare her testimony for the court; “trust a minister’s daughter,” Tituba scoffs, “to know a thing or two about Satan.” In her coaching, Hester explains how Tituba should describe the (made-up) meetings of witches and encourages Tituba to “make them scared.” But Hester does not want Tituba to name too many names, because she does not want Tituba to stoop to the villagers’ level. Still, both women agree that it is alright to accuse Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborne, as they each directly betrayed Tituba.

Tituba begins to worry that if she describes Satan as a “black man” (a common descriptor for the devil), suspicion will fall on John Indian. Hester has little patience for Tituba’s continued love for her husband, especially because both women know that John flirts with women of all races in Salem.

Hester dreams of a model society, in which women can write books and give their children their own last names. Though Tituba is on board with the ideas, Hester teases her that she loves love too much to ever be a “feminist.”

But while Tituba appreciates this new friendship, she is still paralyzed by fear of her trial and hopelessness about what comes next. Most of all, she is reminded of the fact that even if she returns to Barbados, there will still be slavery. On February 29th, Tituba, Sarah Goode, and Sarah Osborne are released from prison to return to Salem for their trial. The entire way home, Sarah Goode harasses Tituba.