Witches, by Rosalyn Schanzer

Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem 

by Rosalyn Schanzer

      I have become intrigued with the Salem Witch Trials, as we are studying this topic in social studies. This past week, I read the non-fiction accounts of the Salem witch hunts and trials of 1692 in the Mass Bay colony called, "Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem, by Rosalyn Schanzer.  It's a really interesting look back into the Puritan beliefs and the simple law system in Salem in the colonial times, and the simple laws they had at the time. These true facts in the book include those who were accused, hanged, and the mass hysteria belief of withcraft. It was very strange to learn about the law system where judges of the court were not actually educated in law, and the accused "witches" were not allowed to have their own lawyers while on trial.

      In the town of Salem Village, Massachusetts in 1692, two girls, Betty Parris and Ann Putnam start to exhibit strange behaviors such as seizures, twiching, contorting there bodies into strange shapes, and screaming. The village doctor could not find a remedy to cure these young Puritans.  He announces they were "Bewitched". This was the beginning of accusations that took over the entire community in Salem, and ruined dozens of lives. 

      As I continue to learn more about this fascinating, strange, cruel, and unreal topic, I am bewildered.  Rosalyn Schanzer has made me wonder about why this happened at this time in history.  What circumstances caused these irrational ideas to take over an entire community?  Was it because  of fear?  The Puritans lived with constant hardship and terror.  They came to a new land, and were deeply religious trying to find the right place to worship.  There were many struggles for basic needs, and it seemed as if these were very difficult times to live in.  Sometimes these kinds of circumstances can cause people to not think clearly.  In addition, the villagers were poor, struggling farmers, while people nearer to the town of Salem were generally wealthier merchants. Since the villagers accused the merchants, they might have envied their circumstances and caused this blame which pervaded the whole village.  In this book, we are lead to wonder about all of these factors which might potentially offer an explanation for the irrational ideas that spread throughout the community of Salem in 1692.