How To Hang A Witch

“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or their parents forbid them to spend time with me.”

This quote is one of the many instances of foreshadowing in this book. It is necessary for the idea of the curse to be planted early in the text. At this point, Sam sounds like a truculent teenager, but the author slowly layers information on top of this first hint that something is truly unusual about Sam. By the end, when it is revealed that Vivian has manipulated all of Sam’s social situations, it feels believable because of the careful foreshadowing that happens as early as page 10.

“There are five of them in our school. He’s the only dude. They’re descended from the original witches. Everyone kinda love-hates them. People think they can curse you if they want to.”

The first appearance of the Descendants as a group is dramatic because of the uniformly black fancy clothing and their cliquish, aloof behavior. The author begins referencing the theme of The Repetition of History early by showing how people view the suspected witches, treating them with a respect that is based on fear, which can quickly turn to hate, mimicking attitudes that led to the conviction of people during the Salem Witch Trials.

“I’m not going to apologize for some dude who wore a curly wig three hundred years ago and made bad decisions just ‘cause we have the same last name.”

One of the lessons Sam must learn over the course of the novel is to understand that history has weight, and it is her job to keep The Repetition of History at a minimum. By the end, she is forced to reenact her ancestor’s role but with a twist, making a different choice from the bad decision of the family. She ends up doing the exact opposite of what she says in this quote, apologizing to the point of offering her life to counteract his bad decisions.

“Some historians say he was good and honest, but more think he was the main instigator of the Witch Trials. He was so concerned with uprooting ‘evil’ that he was willing to let people hang to do it.”

Pride and love of power are recurring character flaws in the novel and history. Historians believe that the power and control accusers and judges obtained during the trials were instrumental in continuing the hysteria. Despite not wanting to apologize for her ancestor a few chapters ago, a few days in Salem forces Sam to grapple with the repercussions of her family’s past and realize that their actions still carry weight in modern times.

“Before my dad got sick, I would have told her what happened and she would have made some biting comment about the kids who did it. Which of course would make me laugh and make the whole thing easier somehow. Now it feels like I’m always on the defensive.”

The author plays on literary expectations of the theme of The Relationship Between Teenage Girls and Mothers. A certain level of strife and conflict is expected, and Sam and Vivian exhibit what might be considered a normal mother-daughter relationship. As is shown in the quote, what used to be easy and good when the teenager was little is becoming more difficult. This is a typical experience, and it frees Vivian of immediate suspicion, ascribing conflict to the usual theme of adolescent growth instead of the reality of Vivian’s evil nature.

“‘Giles Corey was pressed to death here.’ His voice has a dramatic edge. ‘It happened in this very alley.’”

Sam needs to be reminded that Salem is a historical place where real people suffered and died. By bringing in actual names and facts and linking them to modern instances (John is crushed on the anniversary of Giles Corey) the drive to acknowledge and change The Repetition of History becomes more urgent for Sam.

“Every hundred years or so, for unknown reasons, members of those families and my own seem to die within a very short time period. I don’t know the cause yet, but I must break this curse before it gets to my Charles or my Samantha.”

The mystery of why Sam has never met her grandmother is solved with this diary entry, and another is created. Again, the theme of The Repetition of History is presented as Sam is the next generation to grapple with a curse that threatens to kill multiple people. It is one of the first times the curse is stated in such clear language, helping Sam to know precisely what she needs to solve.

“But, as many of you know, the repercussions had a far greater reach. Many families suffered for generations, lost their property, went into debt from their stay in jail, and were emotionally shattered.”

Again, Sam is reminded that her ancestor’s actions had far-reaching effects, and the generational hurt carries on in the behavior of the Descendants toward Sam. In a smaller way, The Repetition of History continues in the emotional fallout for both Sam, who lives with the guilt of these actions, and the Descendants, who have the darkness hanging over their heads. While the curse in the novel is a separate issue, another curse of sorts is the fact that the darkness of history hasn’t left the Descendants or Sam’s family.

“‘You know, Mrs. Meriwether is actually a nice person. You might like her.’ Vivian wrinkles her nose.”

If Vivian is the Evil Stepmother character, Mrs. Meriwether is the Good Mother. That Vivian instantly dislikes her is telling of Vivian’s character, and throughout the novel, Mrs. Meriwether shows traits Vivian can’t, including kindness, selflessness, acceptance, and constructive help in times of crises rather than responding with anger toward the source of the hurt.

“This is a perfect example of our current relationship. Fight, and then ignore the fact that the fight ever happened.”

The theme of The Relationship Between Teenage Girls and Mothers reoccurs here. The pattern of their fighting is not unusual, and once again presents an outwardly normal adolescent and adult relationship with the extra stress of having the father in the hospital. The author is playing on expectations for the surprise of Vivian’s guilt at the end.

“’You did this!’ a girl I’ve never seen before yells. She lunges at my face with her marked hands. She misses but manages to rip off my corsage. I don’t resist anymore. I run.”

The hysteria present during the Salem Witch Trials is beginning to reappear along with The Repetition of History in this scene. The bite marks mimic symptoms reported during the Trials and the irrational violent behavior of those who are afraid of what they see, like this girl, reenact some of the violence displayed during times of human fear.

“It sounded like a scarier version of high school.”

This quote shows Sam’s sarcastic, witty character as she compares the trials to a modern example. While it’s an amusing comment, Sam is doing what the author has stated is her goal, to show The Repetition of History and bring to light circumstances that reoccur in modern versions so people can learn and change their patterns of behavior.

“She did it because she felt important. People got away with it because no one stood up for the accused. The first people accused of witchcraft in Salem were an invalid, a homeless woman, and a servant. Who would speak for them?”

One of the major themes of the novel is The Culpability of the Bystander. Sam experiences the modern equivalent when she is bullied by the Descendants, and this helps her understand why things got out of control during the Witch Trials. Sam must reverse the damage done by her ancestor, who did not stand up for the innocent. It is a major part of breaking the curse and a lesson about speaking out for people who need help.

“How have I come to a point in my life where I see things that aren’t there while I’m awake and I see things that might be there while I’m asleep?”

Another lesson Sam must wrestle with over the course of the novel is accepting who she truly is. Despite what she has been led to believe her entire life, she is not the opposite of a witch, but a witch herself. Part of stopping The Repetition of History in this instance is an embrace of the opposition in the conflict. Sam must do this to both stop the curse and become an empathetic, mature human.

“She pulls out a paper full of notes. ‘Have you been in any physical altercations recently?’

‘As in physical fights? No.’

‘Have you touched anyone and then realized they were sick shortly after?’

So much for my moment of honesty. ‘No.’

‘Have you purposefully sabotaged anyone’s grade during a quiz?’

‘I’m not sure I understand.’ So this is the list of complaints Mrs. Lippy was trying to go over with me yesterday.

‘Have you ever wished anyone ill will with your eyes?’

That has to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

The Repetition of History is again frighteningly used here when the school counselor asks Sam questions that sound eerily like the questions put to victims accused of being witches during the trials. Seeing them used in a modern-day equivalent illuminates the frightening and absurd nature of the trials themself. The scene is a close duplicate of the situation in the trials where the questioner is an adult in power who knows better than to believe accusations from children without evidence. Seen in a current-day high school, the situation is chilling.

“‘Salem Village was a quarrelsome place. Villagers fought over land and church-related matters. Almost every villager could come up with a list of complaints about his or her neighbors.’

That’s high school in a nutshell.”

This quote functions to give historical facts about the trial and a moment of character-building levity. Sam’s sarcasm comes through loud and clear in her summarizing remark. It also underlines once again the author’s theme of The Repetition of History tracing the circular tendency of human behavior. A few lines later, Sam speaks the author’s theme again when she says “I guess witchcraft accusations have not disappeared. They have just transformed” (246).

“‘Cotton and your fiancé were at the top of the food chain.’ I picture my ‘How to Hang a Witch’ chart. ‘Cotton couldn’t have started the witch hysteria without her, or she without him.”

The theme of The Culpability of Bystanders is restated with this quote but it also points the finger at Sam’s ancestor for being complicit with the accusers. While Mather didn’t serve as a judge or attend more than one hanging according to the novel, he didn’t mind his book profiting from the sensation and stood aside instead of standing up for any innocent people. In Sam’s mind, and in the world of the novel, the accusers and the bystanders are equally guilty.

“There’s a lot of bad blood between her and the Mathers. I think she’s enjoying branding me as a witch, and will try to hang me for it. Metaphorically, or whatever.”

This quote points out the irony of Sam being treated like and becoming a witch, a situation that isn’t lost on any of the characters, who constantly point it out to her. It is, however, necessary for Sam to break from the past to the furthest extreme possible to stop The Repetition of History and cease the destructive pattern of behavior of her ancestors so it can be replaced with empathy and compassion.

“‘It’s known that you are the main suspect. It is only a matter of time before the townspeople send out a search party for you.’ I picture them lining up outside my house, screaming and waving torches.”

Here the author is drawing on common imagery of mob violence toward monsters, witches, or anyone unfortunate enough to be different and persecuted by a community. It is a common enough image that readers will understand the gravity that comes with the irrational group violence that it depicts, resulting in fear for Sam and a darkening in the tone of the novel.

“High heels click in the nearby hallway. I stop so abruptly, it’s as though I slammed into an invisible wall. A familiar wavy-haired shadow appears the floor. ‘Vivian?’”

Vivian’s clothes and shoes are symbols of her true self, and the clicking of the heels has been a vivid sensory detail since the first chapter. It is powerful enough that one hears her shoes and senses her presence well before she’s in the room. The set-up of this sound plays off here in the final pages as the sound imagery triggers the surprise reveal.

“It was Cotton’s fault he didn’t stop you three centuries ago. And I won’t make that mistake again.”

Sam has learned the lesson that will stop the curse. She has figured out The Culpability of Bystanders and declares she is going to stop The Repetition of History. By choosing to do the right thing in two ways, by not standing aside and letting Vivian hurt innocent people and secondly by not killing the witch, Sam makes different choices than her predecessors and breaks the cycle and the curse.

“No one ever chooses me. Not you, not Charles, not Elijah!”

Here Vivian reveals her true motive for all the strife and difficulty. Over the course of the novel, Elijah and Sam repeat that relationships and loving people are the most important things. Vivian has never felt secure in any of her relationships and thus obsessively pursued them. The Relationship Between Teenage Daughters and Mothers in the book suddenly takes on a new light, and Vivian’s anger toward Sam makes more sense when it’s seen through the lens of a woman who is feeling rejected by the child who used to adore her.

“For centuries we have been making the same choices we did during the Trials, hurting and blaming each other. There is no real power gained by harming others.”

Sam is summing up one of the messages of the book. It is seen in both a large example of the Salem Witch Trials and a smaller but still harmful way with everyday bullying in schools. Human nature is the same in both, but part of the message of How to Hang a Witch is to learn from the hurt caused in the past and to stop The Repetition of History where humans harm each other.