Walk-In-The-Shoes Questions
As you read, imagine you are the protagonist.

• What challenges are you facing?
• What fears or concerns might you have?
• What may prevent you from acting as you should?

Observation Questions

• Who is Samuel Sewall? What was Sewall’s role in the Salem Witch Trials? How did this role affect his identity during and after the trials?
• Based on Sewall’s role at the trials, what was his purpose in life? Did he live up to that purpose?
• What was Sewall’s purpose in his speech to the congregation? How did this change his identity?

Discussion Questions
Discuss the following questions with your students.

• What is the historical context of the narrative?
• What historical circumstances presented a challenge to the protagonist?
• How and why did the individual exhibit a moral and/or civic virtue in facing and overcoming the challenge?
• How did the exercise of the virtue benefit civil society and Samuel Sewall?
• What might the exercise of the virtue cost him?
• Would you react the same under similar circumstances? Why or why not?
• How can you act similarly in your own life? What obstacles must you overcome in order to do so?

• Students will analyze Samuel Sewall’s experiences of acting responsibly.
• Students will understand the importance of acting with responsibility in their own lives.