Summary Of Tituba Of Salem Village

1. That there is injustice in america

a. Thesis paragraph: Throughout American literature the dominant theme is correct justice, or what happens when it doesn’t work.

2. In Tituba of Salem Village by Anne Petry, everyone is quick to accuse others. The townspeople, especially, are superstitious and frequently accuse their fellows of witchcraft.

“After a few days of practice she could spin a thread on the flax wheel so strong that Goody Trumbull said it was like magic…She looked at Tituba slantwise, out of the corner of her eyes, as she said it. Tituba smiled and pretended she thought this was very high praise…after that she spun a thread that was…thick in some places and too thin in others, just like Goody Trumbull’s thread (pg. 30-31)”

When Isabel tells her mistress’s nephew and the pastor that she’s been freed, they don’t believe her. They don’t even bother checking the Mistress’s will to make sure Isabel is not a slave. Their greed, combined with the fact they don’t view her as human, makes them sell her to the highest bidder.

7. In Chains, slavery is permitted by law, and it is unjust to help out a slave even if their master hurts them. In fact, the mistress or master’s word is taken over the slave even while evidence points to the slave being right. When Isabel tries to run after her mistress assaults her, even the captain she helped turned his back on her, saying “The law binds my hands and my actions. You must return with your mistress…Even during time of war, we must follow the rules of propriety and civilization (Page 140).”

8. While on trial in court for supposedly being insolent, Isabel doesn’t get to defend herself. In fact, much of the court case is based on onlookers who barely saw any of the incident. Much of what was said was falsified. “Questions were asked of the incident. Lies were given as answers (page 144).” The verdict was decided based on the untruths, and Madam got to choose a punishment for

In Ace, nobility was hereditary. Being a king is the highest noble station there is. The difficulty with this is that the king also decides court-cases, as he is the judge. “… His rearing—often colored his decisions… The king's judgments wrought frequent injustices, but it was merely the fault of his training, his natural and unalterable sympathies (page 140).”

The problem with hereditary positions in Ace is that it creates unfair biases and divides throughout the kingdom, giving one everything and another nothing. The people think it is meant to be, and act as if one is lesser.

13. Although outwardly opposite, as Ace is in the far past and Fahrenheit 451 in the future, both books have some parallels. Like Ace, Fahrenheit 451 discourages its people from learning things, afraid they might act out. Life means little in both books, and the each story tries its utmost to wipe out the protagonists, both who try to bring knowledge and fairness to the