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                          A Comment on “I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” by Maryse Conde
Maryse Conde’s “I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” is a novel that depicts real life experiences of a Black woman in a Whiteman’s land. The novel is basically centered on the theme of racism, traditions diversification of human being and gender issues which are attributed to the protagonist of the story; Tituba. The novel fits in the 17th century where the slave trade is the order of day and the slaves are from a specific race which is the Black race. Tituba demonstration of her life and that of her mother deciphers a sorrowful tone and attitude where the incidents that unfolds, shows the hardship of social, economic and psychological unfriendly. Therefore, “I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” is a demonstration of racism, slavery, violence and violation of women in the diversified ethnicities. 

Persecution and grudge are persistent in the race diversified setting. Every race is loyal to the people who are attached to each other and no one seems to care about the welfare of the others, especially for the whites and other races. However, other races who are considered slaves, are helpful to each other and their love for fellow slaves is unending. For instance, Tituba is rescued from prison by Cohen Benjamin who is a Jewish and they also have a relationship. Cohen has also been mistreated in the past by the whites and this is why he understands the situation of Tituba. The relationship between races is different and only the issue of religion seems to breach the racial gap where characters such as Tituba and John Indian are in the same Christian missions. The novel then presents the anti-white rebellion where the slaves are against the white supremacy which is misused to harassing them. People like Iphigene are very optimistic about the black people and against Whites, though facing continuous challenges during their activism process (Condé, 41). Violation of gender, especially women is evident in “I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” as Tituba is very bitter explaining how her mother was raped as they were transported on a ship by a white, English sailor. She talks of the action that made her conception. Also, Tituba talks about Abena’s death through hanging because of failing to submit to sexual act with her master. These incidences portrays a society where women purity was never valued, especially for the Black women. The violation of the two women has resulted to a sense of pity for the slaves of the period in the white colonies. Women are to be considered as human beings who need their fundamental respect like any man. However, the novel portrays a negligence of this fundamental principle of life. Tituba and her mother are suffering psychologically as women due to what is done to them by their masters. However, the story arouses a feeling of hope and optimism for freedom of the Black people. Being set a very turbulent time of slavery it ends with hope for the Blacks where characters seems to obtain freedom. Tituba is sold to a Jewish who likes her after being a good servant and after a while, he saves sets her free. The setting free of Tituba is a symbol of freedom for the Black people who existed during the set time of the novel. Christopher, a leader of a group of Black rebels is also dreaming of the immortality, symbolizing the unending hope that is guaranteed for the blacks. Another symbol for hope is the slave who is almost dying but Tituba nurses him until he is well. These implications of hope for the Blacks are written to motivate the anti-slavery abolitionists to continue pressing on towards attaining freedom (Sansavior, 29). Conclusively, the novel is a critique of the contemporary American society who never valued other races, more specifically, Blacks. The society seems to disregard the Blacks as the issues of racism and sexism seems to take a great portion of the novel’s themes. However, there is still some good Americans who have suppressed racism and sexism, and appraised unity under diversification.