The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a tragically beautiful story about forgiveness, understanding, kindness, and loneliness. The protagonist of the novel, young and vivacious Kit, is viewed as an ignorant and terribly spoiled kind of a girl by the majority of people. It is true that she comes from a wealthy family, and thus has no idea of terrible poverty and suffering that lower classes have to endure simply to survive. However, the girl is not malicious, she has the golden heart and the kindest soul, but to her dismay, the only thing people see, when they look at her, is her beautiful and expensive dress that seems to scream that Kit is not a simple girl.
People around her are deceived by her looks and refuse to notice that she is just young and inexperienced. When she finally arrives in America, the girl is even more confused, for whatever she does, she does it in the wrong way. The solemn Puritans both anger and frighten Kit; thus, she feels like an outcast. However, being a kind-hearted person, Kit decides to try and become a part of that strange and unwelcoming society for her aunt and uncle’s sake.
For someone who has never held a broom in her hands, Kit surprises everyone with her eagerness to learn the lore of household maintaining in order to help the family. What is more, she finally finds both her place and her calling; Kit proves to be a wonderful teacher. Unfortunately, no one approves of the methods she uses to teach the local children to read and write. They say the texts she chooses are frivolous and dangerous, for children are evil creatures and such silliness only fuels their worst qualities.
Falsely accused, desperate, and homesick, Kit meets Hannah, a local woman who just like Kit is a stranger in that grim town. Kit sees how fruitless gossips around this woman make her life even harder. They call her a witch, even though no one has even tried to get to know her. Kit finds a way of forgetting about her own problems by helping Hannah. That is the moment of transformation: a generous girl turns into a responsible one. She finally finds a purpose to fight for, a friend, and even love in the face of a young sailor called Nat. When the villagers try to catch the old woman, Kit risks her own life to save the friend. What is more, she refuses to escape with the woman she adores like a grandmother she has never had and the man she loves, for Kit knows that it is her responsibility to stay, that she owes to a family that helped her in the hour of need. She endures everything: threats, accusations, and even a trial. Kit and Nat get their happy ending which would never be possible without them changing and growing up so much.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond teaches to stay loyal to one’s ideas and beliefs. It shows how important it is to stay strong and kind no matter how much this world is cruel.
