◼︎ Chapter 15 / Chapter XV

  1. Madam thinks Ruth is possessed by the devil.

    • What’s really going on with Ruth?

  2. Back in 1776, why might people have thought Ruth had a demon in her?

  3. Why did Isabel throw herself on top of Ruth?

    • What does this say about Isabel’s character?

  4. Mr. Lockton doesn’t think Ruth is possessed.

    • What does Mr. Lockton say about Ruth’s fit?

  5. Madam wants to sell Ruth.

    • Make a prediction about Ruth’s future.

  6. Madam doesn’t want Ruth near the milk. Read the following:

    • In early modern Europe—especially from the 1500s through the 1600s—milk was at the center of many witchcraft accusations.

    • These weren’t random. Milk was tied to nature, fertility, and women’s bodies, and when something went wrong with it—if it spoiled too fast, if a cow stopped producing, if butter wouldn’t churn—people often blamed a witch.

    • These beliefs weren’t based on science. They were based on anxiety.

    • People lived close to the land, and they depended on milk for food and income. So when something disrupted that, it felt personal—and supernatural.

    • If a cow’s milk dried up, someone must have cursed it. If milk turned sour too quickly, maybe someone with bad intentions had passed by. These weren’t just old superstitions—they were attempts to explain why things broke down in a world without answers.

    • What’s striking is how often these fears centered on women.

    • What do you think about all of this?

  7. It’s possible Isabel and Ruth will be split up, owned by different families.

    • How moral do you think it is to split families up?

A+ BONUS: Watch the video below.

  • Write a few sentences about what you learned.