Book Report - Dear America: I Walk in Dread

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hear a knock on the door, and when they go to open it two men stand shivering at the door. The girls soon learn they are Mr. Cooper, and his son Darcy Cooper from Haver’il, and they had lost their way during the storm. The girls insist they stay with them until the storm passes, after much persuasion they agree. During the Coopers’ stay Mem develops a crush on Mr. Cooper, and she is convinced he has intentions of courting her after he leaves. The Coopers leave after a few days, but they promise to return for a visit. One day when the girls are leaving church Martha Corey, a very important member of the church, approaches Liv and ask her if she would come read the bible to her. Liv excitedly accepts, and the more Liv reads to her the closer they become, Martha even begins to feel like a mother to Liv. One afternoon Darcy Cooper returns and asks Mem for permission to court her; Mem is very upset because she finds him quite repulsing, but Liv convinces her to accept.

The next day the first girl is afflicted, she is thrown into uncontrollable fits of screaming blasphemy, and throwing her body around. She claims that the local beggar woman, Sarah Goode, is biting her and commanding her to do these things. The town immediately sets up its first witch trial. By the time the day comes around two more girls have been afflicted, and three more women have been accused of witchcraft. Liv and Mem attend the trial, and Liv writes about the girls screaming and rolling all over the floor with claims that the accused are biting them and trying to close their mouths. Soon the entire town is scared or being afflicted, or accused. Then Martha Corey is accused of being a witch, Liv knows she is innocent but Martha tells her not to testify in her defense, because she might then be accused. Martha is found guilty of witchcraft after her husband betrays her, and testifies against her. It is at this point that Mem begins to wonder if Liv has being practicing witchcraft, but Liv quickly earns Mem’s trust after reading Mem her diary. Darcy then returns and the girls tell him everything about their uncle being gone for so long, he goes to search for him, and returns with bad news that their uncle has been lost at sea. Darcy then proceeds to ask for Mem’s hand in marriage, she hurriedly accepts as she understands it is no longer safe for them in Salem Town. Liv and Mem move to Haver’il, and later hear of the hangings of twelve women, including Martha Corey. Mem and Darcy are married and have two children together, sadly Mem passes a few years later from an illness. Darcy and Liv then marry and they had seven children together, they live very successful lives until their deaths.

Dear America: I Walk in Dread is a great way to get a look at the Salem Witch Trials from a different point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested. I think the author was trying to prove that just because a point in history seems bad doesn’t mean no one made it out ok. This book made me realize that every person in history has a different story, but you just have to take the time to learn it.

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