A Break With Charity Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

But there was some undercurrent of understanding between this mother and daughter that had more to do with evil than with love. I was sensible of that immediately. It was as if these two moved together through dark and swirling waters toward some whirlpool they could not avoid. And would not think of avoiding. (8.4)

The two Ann Putnams give us the heebie-jeebies big time. This mother-daughter duo has evil in the bag, and they are close as can be, but in a way that totally freaks Susanna out. And us, too. Do you think there's anything redeeming in this mother-daughter tag team? Are there ways in which they're not totally evil like Susanna thinks?

Quote #5

"I honor my father, Susanna. But I tremble to see him denouncing our friends and neighbors. We'll not have a friend left when this business is done. I told him so, and we argued fiercely. I am afraid a rift is coming between us that will never heal." (12.52)

Johnathan and his dad have gotten into a huge fight. You see, Mr. Hathorne believes in witches, but now Johnathan knows that his dad is bonkers—yet even with all this fighting, Johnathan still says that he honors his pops. Well now that's a bundle of conflicting emotions. So Johnathan disagrees with his dad enough to have a screaming match, but he also honors him too. What does it mean for Johnathan to honor his dad when he disagrees with him?

Quote #6

As I sat at our table, Tituba's dour words receded in my mind. I felt only happiness while in the bosom of my family. Father was full of news from Boston, having just visited his shipyard there. Mary was happily awaiting Thomas Hitchbourne. She had confided to me earlier that he was going to ask our father for her hand this evening.

Apparently she had already told Mama, also, for there were special cakes set out in the company room with the claret for Thomas's arrival. […]

When Thomas and Father emerged from the library, Father's face was wreathed in smiles. "Mary, we have a new member of the family," he said. "Or soon will have." (14.14-16)

Even with all the witch hullaballoo going on in Salem, Susanna still finds the time to remember that her family rocks. Sure her mom gets arrested for being a witch right after this scene, so it's not all cake and marriage proposals around here, but for a brief little period, Susanna's family makes her seriously happy. Just take a look at her tone. It's almost as if you can see her smiling at the memory. And that has us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.