The Devil in Massachusetts by Marion Starkey

The book revolves around the story of the Salem witch-hunts that,unfortunately, was a product of mere mass-hysteria. A mass-hysteria that caused the deaths of 20 innocent people based solely on the testimonies of a group of girls led by Abigail Williams. Starkey points out the fact that such hysteria, affecting many people at the same time, can feed upon itself and can ulti

Starkey uses a narrative point of view to create drama when introducing the characters and illustrating their daily lives during a bittercold New England Winter. Eventually, because of the superstitions and fears of the times, thehysteria of the girls infected the majority of the community leading to the accusations of dozens of townfolk including a reverend and a group ofdedicated church-goers. The power of the religious convictions of the community combined with the fanatic leaderships of Hathorne and Corwin, over-rode whatever rationality might have prevented the hanging and torture of innocent people. This was the major factor in the case of the Salem Village in Massachusetts during the late 17th century. The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Enquiry intothe Salem Witch Trials. Starkey wanted to emphasize the most in this book is to indentify the real cause of the Salem witch trials that has been mistaken for religious orientations and fanatism: mass-hysteria. ------------------------------------------------------------------------BibliographyStarkey, Marion Lena. The incident began when a group of hysterical teenage girls came to the attention of the Church authorities afteraccusing several people of afflicting them with pain and evil spirits.