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THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND ESSAY How does Elizabeth George Speare explore the idea of prejudice in the novel ‘The Witch of Blackbird Pond’? In the ‘Witch of Blackbird Pond’, Elizabeth George Speare expresses the idea of prejudice by exploring different aspects of the plot, setting and characters. Prejudice is mainly portrayed by the characters. This novel is based around the witch hysteria, in the late 1600’s where if you could swim, had a devil’s mark, were a widow or had a black cat, you were usually accused of being a witch. It is also based around prejudice. Witch hysteria and prejudice are introduced in the beginning of the novel when Kit falls a victim to this. On this first occasion, Prudence Cruff’s doll falls into the sea. Kit, acting on impulse jumps into the water after it and brings it back. As I mentioned before, swimming is a sign that you were a witch, so Prudence’s mother, Goodwife Cruff is instantly suspicious of Kit. Later on in the novel, when a plague of illness spreads around she accuses Kit of casting a spell on them to make them sick. Then she gathers up some people and tells them that Kit is a witch. The