Previous
Chapter 5
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Puritan Hypocrisy
Love, Values, and Attraction
Difference, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Home and Belonging
Sexism
Summary
Analysis
Setting down his napkin, Reverend Bulkeley compliments Rachel on the meal. Kit, who’s sitting nearby, bitterly thinks about how much work went into cleaning the house and making the dinner to please the Reverend.
Kit is still bitter about having to work for others. She doesn’t like to sacrifice her time or effort for other people, which only increases her sense of isolation.
Active
Themes
The rest of the Wood family has been quiet throughout dinner. Only Judith has been animated, smiling prettily every time the Reverend looks at her. But the Reverend has spoken mostly to Kit; he knew her grandfather from his trips to Barbados. Now, he asks whether her grandfather was loyal to King James. Kit confirms that he was, adding that she shares her grandfather’s views.
Although the reader doesn’t know for sure why the Wood family has been quiet for most of dinner, it may be because the Reverend is loyal to King James, whereas Matthew isn’t (he has already scorned Kit for her grandfather’s royalist views).
Active
Themes
When the Reverend implies that Matthew will try to persuade her to drop her loyalist views, Matthew becomes furious. He insists that he isn’t a traitor—he merely refuses to recognize Governor Andros, a new governor who was appointed by King James. He is certain that this governor will try to undo the “free government” that the people of Connecticut have “labored and sacrificed” for. The Reverend warns Matthew that such ideas can lead to bloodshed.
After a tense moment, Mercy asks the Reverend if he’ll read aloud to them. The tension breaks. The Reverend suggests that his pupil, John, read instead. John is thrilled at this distinction. Observing John’s total admiration for the Reverend, Kit unhappily reflects on how John has changed since she first met him. He seems like “a shadow” now.
Active
Themes
Get the entire The Witch of Blackbird Pond LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Reverend Bulkeley instructs John to read a passage about remaining loyal to kings. Kit is surprised to find that she enjoys listening to John read; even if she isn’t following the words, his voice is nice. During the prayer afterwards, she catches Judith intently observing John’s face.
Active
Themes
During the prayer, the Reverend asks that God “bless [their] sister in her weakness and affliction.” Kit realizes with a jolt that he means Mercy. Angry and shocked, Kit muses that the Reverend must not be paying attention to how accomplished Mercy is. Not only does Mercy do at least as much work as the rest of the family, but she is also the glue that holds the family together.
Active
Themes
After the Reverend and John leave, Matthew rages that he will never again invite the Reverend over for dinner. As the women begin to clear the table, Matthew adds that, earlier that day, William Ashby asked him if he could call on Kit. As Kit blushes, Rachel tells Matthew that William has “good standing” in the town. Matthew sharply counters that William is also a Royalist before he tells Rachel that it’s time for bed.
Active
Themes
After the adults to upstairs for the night, Kit eagerly asks Mercy and Judith what they know about William. He has a good plot of land and has plans to build a house as soon as he “makes up his mind.” Judith bitterly adds that “he was just about to make it up […] when [Kit] came along.”
Active
Themes
Suddenly, Kit remembers that Judith had mentioned a William on the morning of Kit’s arrival. Kit hurriedly tells Judith that she’ll tell Matthew that she isn’t interested in William; then maybe he’ll redirect his attentions to Judith. But Judith orders her to not say a word—she’s already decided that she’ll marry John.
Active
Themes
