A Break With Charity Chapter 9 Summary

Choosing Sides

  • Susanna is still super freaked out by Ann's threats, and we can't say we blame her.
  • One day Joseph Putnam stops by Mama English's shop with some bad news: the witch madness is starting to get out of control.
  • The worst part is that Tituba is now suspected of being a witch, and Reverend Parris beat her.
  • The next shop visitor with news is Elizabeth Putnam's mom, also named Elizabeth. She says that the afflicted girls are putting on quite a show, hanging out at Ingersoll's Ordinary and going into fits so everyone can see. (By the way, Ingersoll's Ordinary was a real place, and back in the day it was half inn, half bar.)
  • Elizabeth also says she thinks this witch hullabaloo will end up going to trial. And guess who'll be a judge? None other than Magistrate Hathorne, dad to Johnathan (Susanna's main man).
  • Speaking of Johnathan, Elizabeth wants the dirt from Susanna. Does she like him? Is she impressed he'll be at Harvard soon? Isn't he just a cutie patooty?
  • Later when Susanna's on the wharf, she runs into John Dorich. He's a big fan of the witch madness, and he's super impressed at how the afflicted gals get away with pretty much anything these days.
  • John says the girls will be naming their tormenters tomorrow.