Final Book Blog

The Witch of Blackbird Pond ended in a very satisfactory way. Throughout the book Kit was home sick and missing Barbados very dearly. Kit is at an age to where women start thinking about marrying and starting a family. She solves both of these issues throughout the book in a way that would bring her the most joy possible in her life.

On her trip over to America, Kit had befriended a boy named Nat. Their relationship revolved around making fun and mimicking each other. Throughout the story Nat kept popping up at the most unexpected times. While Kit and Hannah, the Witch, were talking 'a tall shadow of Nathaniel Eaton filled the doorway' (106). Kit had not expected to see Nat ever again after her departure from The Dolphin. This unexpected meeting brought their friendship back again.

In the end, Kit's 'love was Nat' (245). He appears on his very own boat and asks for Kit's hand in marriage. To cure her homesickness, the two decided that in the winter, they would 'sail south, to the Indies' and during summer, live in Saybrook with Hannah (248).

Throughout the book, I wanted Kit to marry William Ashby. He seemed like a well to do man and could care for Kit. But, by the end of the book, I started to see how much of a depressing man he was. When she decided to go home, and by mistake ran into Nat, it seemed like the right thing for her to sail away and marry Nat. The Witch of Blackbird Pond came to a very satisfactory ending for me. Kit ended up with love and the thought of going back home.

#5

"'Then the girl has been disobedient and deceitful.' Matthew clenched his fists in frustration.'The girl has been thoughtless and headstrong at time. But her upbringing has been such as to encourage that.'
'You admit then that her education has been irregular?'
'You can twist what I say as you will, Sam Talcott,' said Matthew in steely anger. 'But I swear before all present, on my word as a freeman of the colony, that the girl is no witch (212).'"

This piece of dialect is the first and only time that Matthew protects and shows the littlest sign of love towards Kit. He stands up for her in the meeting to say that she is no witch. This defines his character as someone that doesn't want to show any feelings outside but really does have strong feelings inside.

I found out that she ends up marrying Nat and moving back to Barbados for the summers!

#5

"When the last tuft was in place they sat on the fragrant springy cushion and rested, liking out over the sunny meadow toward the gleaming band of the river. For a long time neither of them spoke. Nat sat munching on a straw. Kit leaned her bare elbows back on the prickly thatch. The sun pressed against her with an almost tangible weight. All about them was a lazy humming of bees, broken by the sharp clatter of a locust. The queer rasping call of the blackbird rose from the grass, and now and then they caught the flash of scarlet on the glossy black wings.
This is the way I used to feel in Barbados, Kit thought with surprise (125)."

This is the second place in the book where Kit ever talks about her feelings of homesickness with someone. This helps to characterize both of these characters as people that might be New Englanders, but will break the rules of their colony. Both of them are laying on top of the 'witches' house. No one in this community ever ventures here. They fear and hate the 'witch', but Nat and Kit have both come to love the 'witch', Hannah. I am guessing and hoping that Kit will end up marrying Nat and not getting engaged to William.

I did not find out why puritains hate quakers. In the book, Kit asks her Aunt why this is so and she just replies saying they are hated because they are quakers. That is all the answer Kit recieves.

What will become of Nat?

#4

"As they came out from the shelter of the trees and the Great Meadows stretched before them, Kit caught her breath. She had not expected anything like this. From that first moment, in a way she could never explain, the Meadows claimed her and made her their won. As far as she could see they stretched on either side, a great level sea of green, broken here and there by a solitary graceful elm. Was it the fields of sugar cane they brought to mind, or the endless reach of the ocean to meet the sky? Or was it simply the sense of freedom and space and light that spoke to her of home (76)?"
This passage depicts the first time that Kit sets eyes of the Meadow. In this Meadow, there is a little shack where she meets the one person in the whole town that she can really talk to. This is the first time that she can compare somewhere in America to Barbados in a positive light. In the book, she always talks about missing home and its beauty, but this is now one beautiful place that reminds her of home. This one place gives her happieness. She has not been genuinely happy until this point. This also marks the beginning of her friendship with Hannah.

To answer my earlier question, yes Kit goes and sees Hannah again. Have not heard anymore about Nat. She talks about her homesickness for the first time with Hannah in this chapter.

Questions
Why do Puritans hate Quakers?

The Witch of Blackbird Pond #3

'"And her son, William," continued her aunt. Braced to meet the reserve and suspicion she had encountered at every introduction so far, Kit was startled to meet the unmistakably dazzled gaze of William Ashby, and unconsciously she rewarded him with the first genuine smiole she had managed this morning. Kit had no idea of what happened to her thin plain features when she smiled. William was speechless. As she turned to follow her aunt and Judith, Kit know for certain that he had not moved, and that if she looked back sheh would see his sturdy frame planted motionless in the path. She did not look back, but she knew (57).'
This excerpt is a change in the whole story. It gives her character a point of continually existing. Before this scene, she was an orphan and was only living for herself. She had no friends and only one Aunt that wanted her. Her Uncle would much rather chuck her out than keep her. But, this one man gives her someone that she can look forward to seeing and was to continually live for. This passage introduces another character that I feel is going to become a main character in the book.
To answer my question from before, I do not think that she will ever become accustomed to their ways of living. She is constantly breaking or bending the rules of how things are done in this society. So far, she has not changed to their society.

New Quesetions
What is Nat doing back in the book and what will end up of him being there?
Does she constantly go back and visit Hannah and does she ever tell the truth about where she is going?

'"These are the only clothes I have," protested Kit.
"If they are not suitable, I shall stay ere with Mercy."
Through the crystal Sabbath morning the Meeting House bell tolled steadily. Matthew Wood stood on the threshold of his home, his bushy eyebrows massed close together as he surveyed the three women who waited to accompany him. Beside the plain blue homespun and white linen which modestly clothed Aunt Rachel and Judith, Kit's flowered silk gave her the look of some vivid tropical bird lighted by mistake on a strange shore. The modish bonnet with curling white feathers seemed to her uncle a crowning affront.
"You will mock the Lord's assembly with such frippery," he roared.
This was the second time this morning that her uncle's wrath had descended on her head. An hour ago she had declined to go to Meeting, saying airily that she and her grandfather had seldom attended divine service, except for the Christmas Mass (50-1)."

This passage illustrates how this town revolves around religion. The family tries to fit in and not dress up. This is the exact opposite of Kit. All that she owns are fancy dresses that she wants to wear and show off all the time. Kit also is not Puritan. Kit believes in the Church of England. I am guessing that religion will come up as a problem later on in the book too. This passage also answers my question from before, the Uncle allows her to live and stay with them. This passage also gives more of a character to the Uncle. He is a very religious driven man that does not look for riches.

Questions
Does she ever stand up for the religion that she believes in or does she follow the puritan faith?
Will she ever become accustom to their way of living?

"She didn't want to admit how disapointing she found this first glimpse of America. The bleak line of shore surrounding the gray harbor was a disheartening contrast to the shimmering green and white that fringed the turquoise bay of Barbados which was her home. The earthen wall of the fortification that faced the river was bare and ugly, and the houses beyond were no more than plain wooden boxes (1-2)."

This passage starts to describe Kits character. She is a person that does not want to dissapoint anyone. This passage also forshadows some of the book. The first glimpse of America for her is very sad and depressing and her experiences so far in the book have been sad too. She is a wild girl that grew up in Barbados and lives in a puritan society that she does not agree with at all.

Questions
Does she ever tell anyone about her feelings?
Does her uncle let her live with them?

Final Book Blog

Comment on the perspective from which the book is told and how the author’s choice affects your relationship with the book’s content.

Peace Like a River is narrated by the middle child of the family. This perspective helps the reader to relate to the book. The age level of this book guarantees that the reader has been eleven years old, and therefore, knows the viewpoints and what it is like to be an eleven year old. Also, he is narrating the book as if he is telling a past story. He provides information that you would never find out just from the storyline, like how Swede ends up being a professor. This creates a stronger bond between the characters and the reader. It helps the reader to feel more compassion for the characters to know what they end up doing in the future.
Also, throughout the book the narrator expresses him own feelings. He is "annoyed that [they] were out of money and Christmas [was] almost [there]" and this makes the reader connect to that emotion and involve their feelings into the book (122). Everyone knows the feeling of annoyance and when reading the book, feel the same twinge that they get whenever they are annoyed and relate directly to the character. Having the character being the narrator and telling his life story in past tense creates a feeling that nothing bad can happen to him because he is alive to tell the story. This might connect the reader to him and have more compassion knowing that he survives. These points affect the readers relationship with the books content through the perspective of the narrator.

#5

'" We're out of food, Rueben," she answered.
Having used great gestures describing the canoe I planned to purchase and the adventures we would enjoy thereafter, it irritated me that she would change the subject,
"Well, let's go get some then."
"We can't."
I really did need it spelled out for me; the truth is, I'd been wondering when Swede would take the initiative and suggest we go up to the Red Owl for groceries. We ofter did the shopping, the two of us, pulling our painted wagon, Dad's money in my pocket; in the winter we used a toboggan.
"If we spend any more money right now," she said, "we shall be broke."
Her Emphasis on shall put me in mind, as it was certainly meant to, of Pastor Reach, whose inflections left you in no doubt of his good sense. I was smitten into silence while Swede stacked dishes in the sink and ran water on them and waited for me to make myself gallant.
But I was more interested in canoes than gallantry. I was annoyed that we were our of money and Christmas almost here; also that Swede knew we were out of money before I did, and her younger then me. I was annoyed that I'd worked hard to earn twenty- five dollars and now would have to give my twenty- five dollars to Otto Schock, the Red Owl man. There was a lot to be annoyed about, and I could afford to grouse because Dad had eaten his small breakfast and thanked us and gone back straightaway to his bed of exhaustion. I stood festering in the kitchen. "You don't want the canoe, then?"
I like to believe we have all said things that approach this in stupidity (122).'

This passage made me realize how strong a nine and an eleven year old children are. When their dad is sick they go out and work for money and sacrifice things they want for the family. Even tho Ruben really didn't want to give up his twenty- five dollars for groceries, he does. An eleven year old is always thinking about themselves and what they want; to give all of this up took strong courage.
In the end of the passage Swede makes a comment about how he must not want the canoe anymore. This builds Swedes strength and ability to stay positive in some of the worst situations. They are without food, money, and a father for the moment, and she can still joke around with each other and make remarks that near the line of stupidity.
Will they find Davy?
What will they do about mr. andreeson?
How will they afford for themselves till the dad is better?
Will reuben get sick?

#4

'"Come on, Reuben, I've got soup ready!"
She squared me up at the table and set down a bowl of something white- not what you think of as soup, though dumplings bobbed on the surface. "It's villing!" she announced.
I know what it was, It was hot milk with a little sugar stirred in, also some butter and a shake of cinnamon (111).'

I related with this passage because i grew up eating the same exact food but with white rice mixed in with the milk instead of dumplings. I have never heard of anyone else to ever eat this. I was amazed when this passage appeared in my book.
The passage also illustrates how hard the smallest daughter can work. She prepared the meal for the father while he was sick and shows that she is a very strong young child. She has the power to lead the family in a hard time even tho she is the youngest.

#3

'But gradually- oh, it hurts!- something began to work on me. I began to have, of all things, self-confidence. It crept up like an oily friend. It seemed to me that Elvis began to look less certain of hemself, walking to and fro. Clearly he'd expected I'd be putty by this time. ...
Turning back to me, Elvis smiled. "Reuben, was Davy angry that night?"
He thought I was hesitating out of fear to answer the question. I confess to you now I was only looking for the right voice- something legionnaireish. Oh, I still wanted to do my best by Davy, I haden't forgotten him; but I wanted to sound smooth doing it, you see. Like a hotshot, Mighty Stinson would've said.
Elvis prompted. "Something like that happening to his little sister- say, I would've been upset, a thing like that."... "No sir, Davy was as easygoing as anything."...
Then Elvis said gently, "Now Reuben. Haven't you told us how your brother sticks up for you? Protects you?"
I had (89-90).'

This passage lays out a self guilt that Reuben holds for atleast a little longer in the story. This was the downfall to Davy's court case. It creates more of a character for Reuben of how he is a brother and wants to help his brother out but ends up in sending his brother to jail for his self confidence in answering the court questions. It tells the reader that this is not a perfect family. That one of the children has murdered two people and is going to jail. The steriotypical family is not this family. This passage shows that the family's whole life will turn around because of this one case. Nothing will be the same without the oldest of the children. What will end up happening to Davy? The two kids talk about breaking him out, but will they?
What will happen the the Land family and how will it function without him? Will they go back to school after this since they didn't right after it happened?

#2

'Minutes later I woke: Davy was poking me in the side. Finger to his lips, he nodded east. A lone snow goose was approaching, fighting the wind, making low questioning honks at our flock of rags. I put my face against the ground, trying not to move- a goose is an easy bird to spook, The loner's honks got louner and more confident as it decided to land for breakfast. It was utterly fooled. I'd actually started feeling sorry for the doomed bird when Davy grabbed my shoulder and spun me so I lay on my back. He jammed the Winchester into my hands.
"Take him, Rube." (7)
This passage demonstrates the strength and love in the family. Reuben is too young to hunt but his older brother offers an easy shot to shoot. This is a strong connection of the family and how through hard times to come, they must still stick together. Maybe listen to the younger children and give then a chance. Or maybe now he will feel special about himself and his brother but later on he might dissapoint his older brother. Why did they randomly decide to go hunting? Why did they leave home at 11 oclock at night just to go to the farm to hunt? Why was Davy being so quiet in the car and not talking to the father?

Peace Like a River

'When I was born to Helen and Jeremiah Land, in 1951, my lungs refused to kick in.
My Father wassn't in the delivery room or even in the building; the halls of Wilson Hospital were close and short, and Dad had gone out to pace in the dame September wind. He was praying, rounding the block for the fifth time, when the air quickened. He opened his eyes and discovered he was running - sprinting across the grass toward the door,
"How'd you know?" I adored this story, made him tell it all the time.
"God told me you were in trouble."
"Out loud? Did you hear Him?"
"Nope, not out loud, But He made me run, Reuben. I guess I figured it out on the way."
...
When Dad skidded into the room, Dr. Nokes was sitting on the side of the bed holding my mother's hand. She was wailing- I picture her as an old woman here, which is funny, since I was never to see her as one- and old Nokes was attempting to ease her grief. It was unavoidable, he was saying; nothing could be done; perhaps it was for the best.
I was lying uncovered on a metal table across the room.
Dad lifted me gently. I was very clean from all that rubbing, and I was grat and beginning to cool. A little clay boy is what I was.
"Breathe," Dad said
....
"Reuben Land, in the name of the living God I wam telling you to breathe." (1-3)

This passage helps to get the idea through that this is a religious book. The characters of the book will be religious and believe in God heavily. It also shows that this family is very close if Reuben had heard the story many, many times. The passage said that whenever he heard the story he always thought of him mom as being a old crone, so he must have heard the story multiple times. This passage also helps the reader to realize that this story will be all about someones life. You can assume that it would be Reuben because he said I in the story.

What happened to the mom? She is never mentioned after this point.
What are the three miracles that the father has done?