The author wrote the novel as a way to understand her past, as well as share it with others. The Carriers that she described in her book are based on what she knows about her ancestors involved in the Salem Witch Trials. Their names were the Carriers as well. However, Kent also wrote the novel to share a different perspective on the events. Most historical documents and fictional retellings focus on the main people involved in the trials: The girls and the accused from Salem. In The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent, Kent’s message is, like many other literature works, not to believe everything you hear. Different people have different opinions that will often contradict others. Kathleen Kent described her own personal connections to the
