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Captain Talcott
Captain Eaton, Nat’s father and Mrs. Eaton’s husband, is the captain of the Dolphin, the ship Kit sails on from Barbados to Connecticut. When Kit arrives in Wethersfield, Captain Eaton is annoyed to discover that Kit’s Aunt Rachel and Uncle Matthew don’t know that Kit is arriving. He resents having to spend extra time bringing her directly to the Woods’ house, and he doesn’t want to be responsible for her if they don’t want to host her. From this, it’s implied that women in 17th-century New England were rarely trusted on their own and often needed chaperones. Captain Eaton fears that if something goes wrong, and the Woods refuse to take Kit in, he may have to take care of her until another solution comes along. Kit, who announces that she takes full responsibility for her arrival, resents Captain Eaton’s sexist attitude.
Captain Eaton Quotes in The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The The Witch of Blackbird Pond quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Eaton or refer to Captain Eaton. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1 Quotes
“But I thought the Dolphin was your home!”
“In the wintertime it is, when we sail to the West Indies. But I was born in Saybrook, and in the spring I get to hankering for my house and garden. Besides, I’d never let on to my husband, but the summer trips are tedious, just back and forth up and down the river. I stay at home and tend my vegetables and my spinning like a proper housewife. Then, come November, when he sails for Barbados again, I’m ready enough to go with him. ‘Tis a good life, and one of the best things about it is coming home in the springtime.”
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Captain Eaton Character Timeline in The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The timeline below shows where the character Captain Eaton appears in The Witch of Blackbird Pond. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Captain Eaton allows Kit to go ashore. Her spirits high, Kit enjoys the short trip. As soon...
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Kit asks Captain Eaton to turn the boat around, but he ignores her. Unused to being snubbed and feeling...
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...poor swimmer, and Kit laughs as she passes him on the way to the boat. Captain Eaton helps Kit back on board while Nat pulls himself into the boat.
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...float, whereas “respectable” women sink. Kit is furious, and John looks concerned. Nat admits that Captain Eaton was able to calm down Goodwife Cruff by informing her that in Barbados, everyone learns...
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Chapter 2
...Englanders, Kit has decided, do not forget easily. In addition to Goodwife Cruff’s continued hostility, Captain Eaton and Nat are also still cold to her. Only John Holbrook is kind to Kit.
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On the seventh day of the long, slow journey, Captain Eaton has then crewman pull the boat forward. Two sailors row ahead in a smaller boat...
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When Captain Eaton sees that no one is welcoming Kit, he expresses his concern—he sent word to Wethersfield...
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Captain Eaton is annoyed that Kit didn’t tell him the truth about her voyage; now, he will...
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Chapter 3
...they reach Uncle Matthew’s house, which Kit is relieved to see is large and sturdy. Captain Eaton knocks on the door, and a gray-haired woman answers.
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Captain Eaton , Nat, and the other sailors leave them once they bring Kit’s luggage into the...
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Chapter 12
...was a beautiful, colorful bird, and Nat wanted to bring it back to Saybrook, but Captain Eaton had told him that “it wasn’t meant to live up here, that the birds here...
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