WICKED GIRLS: A NOVEL OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS by Stephanie Hemphill

Author Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. WICKED GIRLS: A NOVEL OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS.  New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780061853289

 

Review

W

ICKED GIRLS, a fictional verse novel about the Salem Witch Trials, is written from the perspective of three young accusers.  Each girl with her own motives, they ease into the spotlight but as the fits and the accusing continue, they begin to see the power and pain of their actions.  As the girls watch those they have accused to be witches die at the gallows, one among them wishes to be set free from the lies.  The others, knowing their actions are so severe that returning to normal life is impossible, do what it takes to keep her quiet. 

Grabbing the reader’s attention at the beginning of the story is done well in this book with the use of sense imagery.  I can’t help but share the opening poem which sets the stage and mood of the book.  The opening poems by Hemphill would be great examples for writing teachers to use.

        

          SALEM

          January 1962         

Silent, not even the twitter

of insects. The wind stills

against a distant sky of clouds.

The cold is gray and fierce,

bitter as a widow at the grave.

The trees’ bare bony fingers

point crookedly

toward Heaven or Hell

or worse than that, toward nowhere.

          Winter days

          wear long as the ocean shore,

          governed by a god

          harsher than windstorm hail

          and more punishing than the waves

          that break ships in two.

          There are rules to follow here,

          one righteous path

          thrashed down through the woods.

The poems, switching back and forth between girls, present possible thoughts and actions that may have occurred during this time.  Hemphill conveys darkness, evil and selfishness through each girl’s story.   

Stephanie Hemphill has won at least ten awards for her work with historical fictional poetry including the ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book in 2008 for Your Own, Sylvia.  Her efforts in studying the history are shown in the quality of her work.  Information about the actual characters can be found at the end of the book. 

Poetry in Action: 

Introducing the Poem:  In the classroom, spend time teaching students about the Salem Witch Trials.  Discuss with students the motives for someone making such a claim in the 1600s.  Look for answers like gaining attention from your parents, having power as a woman in a male dominated society, and/or seeking attention from a boy.    

Follow up Activity:  Have students create a new character to be any character they choose such as another seer/afflicted, a community member, an accused, the boyfriend of an accused… it could be anyone!  Students will take on the persona of that character and write journal entries expressing their thoughts, feelings, actions, attitudes, and what they experience over this time period.  Turn this into a project by determining how many entries and having students create a way to present their entries.  For example, by creating a book, video diaries, facebook posts, poster, a blog, or other options.   

For more ideas, visit http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/

Excerpt from MEETING 

“This must end.”

I say it bold.

 

Ann shakes her head.

“Have you all gone mad?”

She finally says. “We shall return

To nothing, if we are not seers.

The Lord has chosen us

To be guides, and we shall do so

As long as the Lord permit us.” 

“We are not chosen to see.

We have been choosing who to see.

And who are we to choose?

This must end.”

I pound the table.