A Break With Charity Theme of Choices

Watch out Susanna, you've got some tough decisions to make in A Break with Charity. Susanna gets caught in the middle of a bunch of witch madness in Salem, and this means she's got some seriously big choices. Does she want to tell the truth about the lying girls? Does she come clean about Ann Putnam? Or does she protect her family and keep her mouth shut? And these aren't little mini-decisions with no consequences—no sirree, these decisions make a huge difference and might even save or cost lives. That's a heavy load for a fourteen-year-old to carry, and this means that most of the time our gal Susanna doesn't know what to do. We're with you honey.

Questions About Choices

  1. What makes a choice good in this book? And what do bad decisions look like?
  2. How do the characters make tough decisions in Salem? What ideas guide them? And why?
  3. How do Susanna's choices make her a powerful character? How do they make her super passive at times? Do you think her choices make her stronger or weaker overall?
  4. How do the characters's decisions impact the community at large? Are personal decisions private or public matters in this book?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

In this book, emotions are a guiding light—the best way to make the right choice is to listen to your heart and ignore the rest.

In this book, reason is the name of the game—the best way to make the right choice is to be as logical as possible, even if some folks get hurt in the process.