How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Mama would want to know why I had returned with my cargo. And so it was that I determined to lie.
I was not practiced in the art of dissembling ,the word given to such a sin. There had been no need in my life, up until now, to keep any of my doings from my parents. But in the next few months I was to learn the art of dissembling well. (3.2-3)
We're going to hear tons about dissembling (a fancy word for lying) in this book—characters are dissembling all over the place, and Susanna is part of the pack. This is her first little dissemble, but things are about to get carried away—dissembling is everywhere in this book, and Susanna's no exception.
Quote #2
"Did you deliver all my offerings for the poor?" Mama asked.
[…]
"They are all delivered, Mama." It was no lie. They were. (4.22, 24)
Susanna doesn't want to lie to her mama, but she doesn't want to tell her the whole truth either. You see, Susanna gave all her mom's offerings to Sarah Good… so she's not technically lying, but she's also not giving her mom all the details. Susanna is letting us know early on that it's easy to fudge the line between truth and lies. Do you think Susanna is acting deceitfully here?
Quote #3
"The elders are looking for someone to blame. We will give them many someones."
"You will give forth the names of people as witches? When you know you girls are not really afflicted?"
"We will, and the elders will be glad to know that the cause of the bickering and trouble in this place lies not at their own feet but is the fault of witches living amongst us." (8.26-28)
Ann is gearing up to tell a huge lie: she's going to tell the town leaders that there are witches in Salem. Susanna knows that this lie can really hurt people, so she's pretty upset, but lying just doesn't seem to be a problem to Ann. Note her tone here—she's calm and confident as can be.