Summary Of Mary Newbury's 'Witch Child'

Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Mary Newbury in Witch Child by Celia Rees is introspective, introverted but not shy, and confident but has inner fears. Mary can be described by her background, relationships, and lifestyle.

Mary’s background shows that she is introverted and cautious. When Mary lived in England, she was not shy, she was raised in a relatively happy environment. Her grandmother taught her to read and write, about plants and medicine. What her grandmother taught her became important and beneficial when Mary goes to America. The townspeople where she grew up called Mary’s grandmother Mother Nuttall, implying that she was respected in the community. The townspeople began …show more content…
When Mary came to America, she and Martha traveled together because they had no one else. Both Mary and Martha are not as religious as the other puritans. While in America, the two helped the sick and injured, and even delivered two babies with their knowledge of medicine. While on the ship, Mary talked with Jonah, a apothecary studying plants around the world, and their uses. Jonah is not as religious as the others either, proving when he explains that the northern lights are well-known to travelers and as natural a part of the heavens as the sun and the moon and the stars. When Mary is in America, exploring the forest, she met a Native American, Jaybird. Jaybird taught Mary about some plants in the forest to help Jonah with his book. He tells her about his tribe dying from disease, and that only his grandfather and him remain of their family. He took her to meet his grandfather, who compares her to a she wolf that hung at the edge of the pack and one day disappeared. Mary and her small group of friends are not a part of the puritan community, and are all different, and Mary cares more about their