The Witch Of Blackbird Pond

The Great Meadow is an expanse of open grassland on the outskirts of Wethersfield. It appears frequently in the book as a symbol of freedom and authentic experience that speaks to the theme of listening to one’s heart. The space seems to exert a powerful influence on those people who can hear its call for personal liberation.

Initially, Hannah and her husband were drawn to the place shortly after they were driven out of Massachusetts. Their alternative religious beliefs set them at odds with the intolerant Puritans of the area. Their deviance from the norm implies that they don’t share superficial values with other New Englanders. As a result, the meadow speaks to them.

When Kit first sets eyes on the place, she is reminded of how she used to feel when she still lived in Barbados. The meadow reconnects her with a sense of freedom. The meadow’s stark contrast to the constricted life she is forced to endure within the human community of Wethersfield causes her to weep. Again, the meadow has drawn someone who possesses the capacity to listen to their heart.

Kit later learns that Nat had a similar initial encounter with the meadow as a boy. The parallel experience implies that the two young people share the same values.