1. Explain Kit's process of maturation in the novel.

2. Is Speare's description of the Puritan society in New England historically accurate? What evidence can you find to support or refute its accuracy?

3. Hannah Tupper is a Quaker. Research and report on the Society of Friends, its beliefs, and its establishment in America. Does Hannah live up to Quaker ideals?

4. What was the political situation of the colonies in relation to England in 1687? Discover what the major political issues were and how each side viewed them.

5. "People are afraid of things they don't understand" is one of the themes of the book. Cite situations in the novel where this idea appears.