Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts

“The crowd is hushed, but not for long. They roar as one when Effie panics at the first puffs of flame and smoke. She is an agent of the Devil, after all, so the crowd has no problem cheering as she struggles against her binds. But then the sight of a human being burned alive becomes all too real. The smell of scorched flesh overwhelms the aroma of woodsmoke. Parents put protective hands on the shoulders of their children. Still, few turn away. Effie is an example; this is what happens when you associate with the Devil.”

This passage powerfully illustrates the theme of Mass Hysteria and the Perils of Fear-Driven Justice—the willingness of the public to abandon reason when swept up in collective fear. The passage also relies on sensory imagery to immerse the reader in the horror, making it impossible to ignore the physical reality of such executions.

“Yet in that final moment before wind and waves pull him under, John Howland’s fist somehow wraps around a rope. That halyard some sailor forgot to adequately secure is used to raise and lower Mayflower’s upper sail. Howland holds on to this lifeline with a. death grip and he is dragged beneath the sea. To let go is to die. Several crew members witness Howland’s plight. They immediately search the ocean for him, knowing this is not an event men survive. Suddenly, the sailors are stunned to see the young man surface, still clinging desperately to the halyard…alive. It is a miracle.”

This passage foreshadows the darker implications of Puritan theology: If survival signified divine approval, then failure, suffering, or misfortune must be evidence of sin—an idea that would later fuel the Salem Witch Trials. The dramatic sentence structure, with short, urgent phrases, mirrors the tension of the moment, keeping the reader engaged.

“In clear English, he instructs the settlers how to hunt and trap game, where the fish and eels are feeding, and the best fields to plant corn, squash, beans, potatoes, and even pumpkins. Bury dead fish in the soil, he says, to help the crops grow. Rotate seeds to keep soil healthy. He points out which wild berries and nuts are safe to eat and which plants will make them sick. When settlers explore the lands beyond Plymouth, he is their guide. When they negotiate trading agreements with other tribes, he is their interpreter”

This passage underscores how heavily the Puritans relied on Indigenous knowledge for their survival, despite later framing these same tribes as enemies and existential threats. This contradiction—receiving aid from those later demonized—shows how quickly allies became scapegoats when fear and instability set in.