Witness (Karen Hesse novel)
Encyclopedia
Witness is a verse novel
written by Karen Hesse
in 2001, concentrating on racism
in a rural Vermont
town in 1924. Voices include those of Leanora Sutter, a 12-year-old African American
girl; Esther Hirsh, a 6-year-old Jewish immigrant; Sara Chickering a quiet spinster farmer; Iris Weaver, a young restaurant owner, bootlegger and illegal rum runner
; Reynard Alexander, town newspaper editor; Fitzgerald Flitt, town doctor; and Percell Johnson, town constable—among others, some of whom are moved to join the newly-arrived Ku Klux Klan
including: preacher Johnny Reeves, teenager Merlin Van Tornhout and shopkeeper Harvey Pettibone none find easy the way of their regretful decisions.
In Witness, Hesse continues the distinctive poetic style she pioneered in Out of the Dust
(1998). The two books are part of a notable recent cluster of verse novels for children and young adults.
. Leanora is an African American girl who recently lost her mother from a disease. She currently lives with her father, Wright Sutter.
, their beliefs, and how they go through the threats and dangers facing them, including people they may know and may not suspect. Each one has to take a moment to reflect on themselves and decide what path they are going to walk.
Verse novel
A verse novel is a type of narrative poetry in which a novel-length narrative is told through the medium of poetry rather than prose. Either simple or complex stanzaic verse-forms may be used, but there will usually be a large cast, multiple voices, dialogue, narration, description, and action in a...
written by Karen Hesse
Karen Hesse
Karen Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings.-Life:...
in 2001, concentrating on racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
in a rural Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
town in 1924. Voices include those of Leanora Sutter, a 12-year-old African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
girl; Esther Hirsh, a 6-year-old Jewish immigrant; Sara Chickering a quiet spinster farmer; Iris Weaver, a young restaurant owner, bootlegger and illegal rum runner
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
; Reynard Alexander, town newspaper editor; Fitzgerald Flitt, town doctor; and Percell Johnson, town constable—among others, some of whom are moved to join the newly-arrived Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
including: preacher Johnny Reeves, teenager Merlin Van Tornhout and shopkeeper Harvey Pettibone none find easy the way of their regretful decisions.
In Witness, Hesse continues the distinctive poetic style she pioneered in Out of the Dust
Out of the Dust
Out of the Dust is a verse novel written by Karen Hesse. It was the winner of the Newbery Medal in 1998, Scott O'Dell Award, an ALA Notable Children's Book, an ALA "Best book", a School Library Journal "best book of the year", a Booklist "Editors' Choice" award, a Book Links "Lasting Connection", a...
(1998). The two books are part of a notable recent cluster of verse novels for children and young adults.
Setting
This story takes place in a small town in Bellows Falls, Vermont with the Ku Klux Klan rife. Leanora Sutter, Esther Hirsh, and Ira Hirsh (Esther's father) are main targets. Esther and Ira move into Sara Chickering's Farm House when Esther moves from New York as a fresh air girlFresh Air Fund
The Fresh Air Fund is a not-for-profit agency that provides free summer vacations in the country to New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada through the Friendly Town...
. Leanora is an African American girl who recently lost her mother from a disease. She currently lives with her father, Wright Sutter.
Point of view
The story is told from the point of view of all the characters in the town. It tells their reactions to the Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, their beliefs, and how they go through the threats and dangers facing them, including people they may know and may not suspect. Each one has to take a moment to reflect on themselves and decide what path they are going to walk.
Main characters
- Leonora Sutter
- Merlin Van Tornhout
- Esther Hirsh
- Percelle Johnson
- Sara Chickering
- Johnny Reeves
- Iris Weaver
- Fitzgerald Flitt
- Harvey Pettibone
- Viola Pettibone
- Reynard Alexander