A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials

by Ann Rinaldi

Overview

A village girl seeking friendship is swept up into the Salem Witch Trials in award-winning author Ann Rinaldi’s young adult novel, A Break with Clarity.

Susanna English desperately wants to join the circle of girls who meet every week at the parsonage, but she doesn’t realize the leader of the group, the malicious Ann Putnam, is about to set off a torrent of false accusations that will lead to the imprisonment and execution of countless innocent people—victims of a witch-hunt panic.

“A graceful blend of fiction and history, Rinaldi’s incisive and thoughtful narrative brings to life a dark period in America’s past.” —Publishers Weekly

“The author’s skillful manipulation of the conventions of the young-adult novel—particularly the rich exploration of being an outsider and going against the mainstream—makes this book a superb vehicle for examining the social dynamics of this legendary event.” —The Horn Book

“A Break with Charity portrays an excruciating era in American history from a unique perspective, and it will be enjoyed by readers who enjoy psychology, the supernatural, and history.” —School Library Journal

Includes Reader’s Guide

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547351551
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/18/2023
Series:	Great Episodes
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	273
Sales rank:	361,800
Lexile:	730L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey. 

Reading Group Guide

1. Why does Susanna feel she is as guilty as Ann Putnam and her circle of girls? Do you think she shares their guilt?

2. Father English advises Susanna: "Think for yourself, daughter. But know when to speak and when to remain silent." Susanna had many chances to tell what she knew about Ann's circle. Why didn't she break charity with the girls? Would you have spoken up in her situation?

3. Why did the magistrates believe the girl accusers?

4. Susanna claims that "ideas were never encouraged in Salem." Why might ideas be discouraged?

5. John Indian says, "If we waited all our lives to do what was allowed, we would never do anything." Is it ever a good idea to do things that aren't allowed?

6. Why would Ann and her friends fake possession by the devil and accuse innocent people of witchcraft? How do you feel about their reasons? Do kids today do cruel things for sport and attention? Who could you turn to if you knew about kids creating trouble?

7. Why did Tituba and other prisoners confess to a crime they didn't commit?

8. Susanna believes the townspeople will forgive Ann when she asks for forgiveness. Why would they? Would you?

Copyright (c) 2003. Published in the U.S. by Harcourt, Inc.

Editorial Reviews

Based on historical accounts of the Salem witch trials, Rinaldi's story has a twist--its heroine, Susanna, is a girl who knows that the witches' accusers are lying but is afraid to come forth. Susanna English actually lived in Salem at the time, but Rinaldi discloses in her afterword that Susanna's role in the "witchcraft business" is unknown. Here, Susanna is a key player who wants to join the circle of girls listening to the stories of the slave, Tituba, but because Susanna is of the gentry, the others don't want her around. Led by Ann Putnam, the girls in the circle begin naming witches in the community. Ann confesses to Susanna that their accusations are lies but threatens Susanna and her family, so the girl keeps silent. As witches are jailed and hanged, Susanna knows that she should come forward, but she must conquer her own fears and superstitions before she has the courage to disclose what she knows. So many citizens are mentioned that the story becomes very crowded at times, but the major characters are well drawn and hold attention. Readers wishing to know just how much of the story is true will find all their questions answered in the author's discussion of how she did her research and based her fictional elements on what she had learned. By focusing on someone who was neither a member of the circle nor one of the accused, Rinaldi offers fresh perspective on an ever-fascinating episode in American history.

Ilene Cooper

"An enthralling, authentic story . . . Rinaldi at her best."—Kirkus Reviews
"A graceful blend of fiction and history . . . Finely tuned, well researched and very accessible, this novel ranks with Rinaldi's finest work."—Publishers Weekly
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From the Publisher