A Delusion of Satan

Ted Ford
Dr. Strickland
November 29, 2010
History 101
A Delusion of Satan
A Delusion of Satan, was written by Frances Hill and covers in the personal situations of
the people in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.   The book opens up describing the
intense and strict life style of the Puritan.   Then we go into discussion of the town of Salem at the
time, being owned by mainly the Putman family.   The pastor there, Samuel Parris, has lived there
in Salem since 1689.   He resides with his wife, his children, niece (Abigail Williams), and two
Caribbean Indian slaves, Tituba and John Indian.   The Parris family also had two other children
with them which was common during this time.   Then Abigail and one of Parris’s daughters,
Betty, began to have odd tantrums and the conclusion to why suddenly the girls were acting this
way, was that they were possessed by Satan.   Doctors were called in but the only diagnosis was
the possession of the devil.   Suspicions were then placed on the Indian slave Tituba because it
was understood by the people in Salem that she practiced witchcraft. Eventually, Tituba and the
neighbors Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne were arrested for causing harm to Abigail and Betty.  
While on trial, the judge Hawthorne new in his mind and heart that they were guilty.   Their trial
could be said to be quite unfair.   During the trial, Tibuba did admit to practicing witchcraft
however, it is unclear whether or not Samuel Parris was persuading her to admit to it or not.   The
first person accused among the church was Martha Cory, who was accused of bewitching three
people.   Then Mrs. Puttman’s mother dies and she joins the accusations, which is a critical
moment since the Puttman’s own most of Salem.   Soon, the entire village was accusing one
another for being involved in witchcraft.   It was literally full blown chaos.   At the end of it all,
twenty people were hung, four died in jail, and hundreds more were sent to... [continues]

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