In Richard Godbeer's historical novel, Escape from Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692, the author discusses the famous Salem witch trials and their effects on New England during this period. Richard Godbeer explains to his readers the social and legal differences across New England, from Salem, Massachusetts, to Stamford, Connecticut. It teaches the reader not to judge this period by what happened in Salem, but rather to open readers' eyes to the thinking and social pressures of the time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In Godbeer's eyes, the stories of the Salem witch trials did not represent the thinking, attitudes, and judgment toward people throughout the New England territory. . The author uses stories of people, government processes and the witchcraft of so-called “witches”. It begins by telling the story of an innocent little girl, a ploy intended to grab the reader's attention and spark their interest in the rest of the book. Although Godbeer's plan works, it also shows the human side of citizens and their capacity to make mistakes. Godbeer's position regarding the 16th-century Stamford witch trials is that society presented itself in a more respectful manner than the Salem trials. However, its social meaning is skewed because the society reflects the same behaviors as that of Salem. The difference is one man. William Jones is the person who should be given credit for keeping the witch situation in Stamford under control. He controls government policies, helping it maintain order and give a fair trial to everyone involved. William Jones calms the people by giving them a trial for accusing the women of witchcraft while giving the accused the right to defend them and he enforces the law and policies required for a trial. The novel begins with the story of a young girl, named Katherine Branch, who is very ill. Kate was a servant for the Wescots, an upper-class family who took Kate in when her parents died. Kate becomes what many believe to be possessed due to witchcraft. Many different people try to help Kate deal with her seizures. Religious leaders come to try to cast out demons, midwives come to take care of her health and neighbors take turns to watch over and help the Wescot family watch over Kate. During specific episodes she faces, she reveals to others the specific women who dumped her in the state. Godbeer states that "Kate named five women with whom she conversed that night: Elizabeth Clawson, Mercy Disborough, Goody Miller, the little girl and her mother. » These women including the granddaughter, Hannah Harvey; his mother, Mary Harvey; as well as his grandmother, Mary Staples, and many others who were mentioned, all of whom had previously had witchcraft rumors about them throughout Stamford. The stereotypes and judgments made about these types of women reflect the city's actions towards them. Godbeer uses this social behavior to represent the thinking of this period. It describes the usual way of handling this type of situation. After Kate names her attackers, stories begin to arise about other signs people saw of their witchcraft. These stories produce no evidence with them; however, the stories begin to spread, causing hostility towards the accused women. These accusations ultimately led Daniel Wescot to turn to thejustice system. Hannah and Mary Harvey, Mary Staples, Elizabeth Clawson, Mercy Disborough and Goody Miller were all acquitted of their charges. Godbeer explains: “These acquittals undoubtedly pleased the defendants and their supporters, but others were horrified. » The defendants' victory proved to be proof of social injustice against the residents of Stamford. This creates more problems between those who protect and those who suffer. This distinction is considered a spiritual conflict between the beliefs of Christians. Godbeer once again shows the culture of the Christian community, which is why witchcraft is a significant problem during this time. As Godbeer later explains, "the survival of Elizabeth Seager and Katherine Harrison was a major blow to public confidence in the legal system and its desire to protect the colonists from witches." » This lack of “trust” in the government made maintaining peace difficult. However, only one man is capable of maintaining order. Godbeer presents his data on the trial through the perspective of Judge William Jones. Jones runs the government court in a fair and legal system. He first researches other witch trials and composes the structure of his future witch trial. Godbeer is impressed by Jones's philosophy that "...two sets of requirements: one for arresting and examining a person suspected of witchcraft, the other for convicting and hanging an accused witch." With these regulations in place, Jones begins creating criteria for guilty and not guilty verdicts. It creates grounds for which the accused had to meet the necessary conditions to be detained or questioned in court. These standards require prosecutors to present some sort of proof or reasonable cause. This is another example of the thought process William Jones followed in order to avoid a disaster like Salem. Since this case investigates witchcraft, there is no solid evidence to support claims that anyone practices witchcraft. Faced with this dilemma placed before the magistrates, the jury is obliged to make its decision based on the testimony of what happened. These stories, dealing in particular with witchcraft, are difficult to find the truth. After Mercy Disborough is found guilty of witchcraft and Goody Clawson is found not guilty, Stamford is stunned. With the Salem hearings, the belief that anyone accused of witchcraft would be found guilty was on the minds of the people of Stamford. The lack of evidence bothered Jones and even led him to question his jury about their decisions. Although Jones doesn't think the verdict was correct, he believes it was fair. Jones showed no favoritism to either side. William Jones cares for accused witches like human beings and tries to reject the stereotypes and misunderstandings of the people of Stamford. At the same time, he wants to protect the residents of Stamford from any threats. The fair trial hits a snag as Diborough awaits his death sentence. A petition is signed to overturn the verdict due to jury substitution. Mercy Diborough is ultimately released due to a technical glitch in the jury system. The way Godbeer describes the lengthy trial process shows his dedication to giving the reader everything they need to form an informed opinion about the trial. It is Godbeer's fault if he does not compare the different philosophies of judgment. It does, however, demonstrate Jones' fairness to all parties, which contrasts with the Salem courts. Godbeer attempts to prove to the reader that society differentiates between the events in Salem and those in?