From my standpoint as a caregiver for children, I believe that the “possessed” girls were simply playing a game. Children have a tendency to repeat information that they hear from the adults in their lives, and that information somewhat colors the way that they play together. Consider the religious climate of Salem; Puritans followed a very strict religious code. Positive events were viewed as blessings from God, while misfortune was seen as punishment for their wrongdoings. Additionally, Puritans deeply feared the Devil, a figure they believed to be physically real, and witchcraft. In my opinion, I think that the girls were mimicking the superstitions of their families and the churchgoers in the community, which incidentally, the adults took
…show more content…
The villagers on either half disagreed with the other on issues such as selecting ministers and lifestyle choices. The western half of Salem Village practiced farming, while the eastern half leaned towards more commercial occupations. The accusers generally occupied the western part of town, while the defenders and accused witches lived in the east. This revealed that the motives for accusing the “witches” were potentially personal. Accusers were far more likely to accuse people that they did not like or live near, and the neighbors of accused witches were more likely to defend them. In addition, a majority of the accused witches were female, and the men that were accused were connected to those women in some way or another. Of those women, feme soles were accused the most. Feme soles were widows who did not remarry and therefore possessed the right to buy and sell land, sue, and make contracts. From this information we can understand how an independent woman in a patriarchal society is seen as intimidating, and a threat. During that time, women were meant to be an accessory to men; any other behavior was deemed unacceptable. It’s unclear whether the villagers were consciously accusing people for these reasons or if their pre-existing fears and attitudes led them to those conclusions
The villagers on either half disagreed with the other on issues such as selecting ministers and lifestyle choices. The western half of Salem Village practiced farming, while the eastern half leaned towards more commercial occupations. The accusers generally occupied the western part of town, while the defenders and accused witches lived in the east. This revealed that the motives for accusing the “witches” were potentially personal. Accusers were far more likely to accuse people that they did not like or live near, and the neighbors of accused witches were more likely to defend them. In addition, a majority of the accused witches were female, and the men that were accused were connected to those women in some way or another. Of those women, feme soles were accused the most. Feme soles were widows who did not remarry and therefore possessed the right to buy and sell land, sue, and make contracts. From this information we can understand how an independent woman in a patriarchal society is seen as intimidating, and a threat. During that time, women were meant to be an accessory to men; any other behavior was deemed unacceptable. It’s unclear whether the villagers were consciously accusing people for these reasons or if their pre-existing fears and attitudes led them to those conclusions