A Break With Charity Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

Mostly I thought of Mama. And when I first sat here, with my three-year-old boy beside me and the baby in my arms, it was Mama's face I saw, Mama's voice I heard, like it was yesterday. (Prologue.5)

Susanna and her mom were super close. Throughout the whole book, we hear oodles of amazing things about Mama English, and Susanna's memories of her mom aren't about to fade anytime soon. Now that Susanna is a mom herself, how do you think this affects her concept of family?

Quote #2

I was, after all, Susanna English, and our family had never needed anyone's help to gain entrance anywhere. (1.62)

Susanna sure is proud of her family. Just check out her tone: she sounds sure as can be that her family name will get her what she wants. She's not delusional for thinking this either—the English family has pretty great social standing in Salem. They live in a big house and have servants, and that means Susanna can name-drop her parents all over town. So she figures her family gets her on the VIP list to get in to see Tituba.

Quote #3

"Ann Putnam and her mother are trouble," Mama said grimly. "Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that Joseph Putnam is related to his brother, husband of the elder Ann. That woman has devoted her life to making others miserable. And her husband has allowed it. I don't know what's afflicting the daughter, but I'll wager the mother's had a hand in it." (7.45)

Looks like family isn't always sugar and spice and everything nice. When it comes to the Ann Putnams of the world, this mother daughter duo is pure evil—even Mama English thinks so. So how do you think Joseph Putnam turned out so great? Does the book give you any clues as to why these various Putnams go down such different paths?