I, Tituba is a book centered around the strives and inequality of a wrongfully convicted black slave woman who was a victim of brutality and prejudice throughout her life. The story depicts the Salem witch trials from the perspective of Tituba, a black woman. Her life is characterized by various injustices and misfortunes, which led to her early death. Condé introduces her readers by declaring her goal to present Tituba’s side of the tale. The declaration suggests that Condé believed the story of Tituba’s maltreatment needed to be told to expose the truth she had been denied due to her skin color and gender. Her husband, John Indian, a black slave, shares some maltreatment exerted on Tituba despite having individual shortcomings. The novel I, Tituba, brings out the effects of patriarchy and racism on people of color and, majorly, on women. The book exposes John Indian’s cowardliness and selfishness towards Tituba and further highlights her frantic attempts to deal with life predicaments.
In the seventeenth century, females were denied equal treatment to men. Racism led to portraying black women as lesser than their white counterparts. Condé included Tituba’s side of the tale to assert the patriarchy exerted by males and its implication on women of color. Tituba embodies a kind, powerful woman who cannot resent her adversaries. Although black males were racially oppressed, gender benefitted them as they were secluded from the Salem witch trials. Individually, the white men of Salem, especially Samuel Parris, had authority over their whole neighborhood.
Tituba’s life was centered on male dominance, illustrated by being born of rape, wrongly accused, and killed. From the novel’s inception, foreshadowing depicts a man’s power over a woman. The author employs this literary style when he states, “Abena, my mother was raped on the deck of the Christ the King by an English sailor one day in the year 16**. I was conceived as a result of this act of assault” (Condé 3). The introductory chapter foreshadows Tituba’s horrific rape at the moment of her accusation by four men. Her mother subsequently defends herself against another attempted rape, hurting the white male sex offender, but she is hanged later. Her mother clearly warns her about the safeguards she should take while developing a connection with a man—Tituba’s downfalls in the story result from her entanglement with men. As a black woman, Tituba is denied protection and dignity in every situation she encounters.
Men had a significant influence on Tituba’s life. Condé’s argument underlines the importance of sex and ethnicity in Tituba’s existence. Her existence revolves around the actions of the males in her vicinity. She is exploited and sometimes chooses such routes due to the men she accompanies. Her husband, John Indian, urges her to confess to practicing witchcraft instead of standing by her in fighting the false accusations (Condé 5). The men in her life fail to regard her as an equal human being due to her gender manifested by John’s decision to sacrifice herself to end the witch case. Tituba’s selflessness contrasts with John’s Indian selfishness when she devotes not mention other women who allegedly helped her in witchcraft. As a result, Tituba was sexually abused and assaulted by four men, including Parris. Her strong-willed mentality aids her in overcoming the horrific things she endures throughout the years.
Being feminine is a significant deciding element throughout Tituba’s existence. In actuality, her world was ruled by males. Tituba finally realizes that she cannot trust anybody, particularly males. In prison, an inmate named Hester offers the remarks that daily resonate inside her, becoming repetitious throughout her life: “Life is too nice to men, regardless of their hue.” Condé uses this precise word to emphasize the injustice in Tituba’s and the other black girls’ lives (Bilal and Ashfaq 782). Black men experience an edge as they are required to work only as slaves, but women of color are forced to work as slaves while sexually and socially abused.
Women’s reliance on men is among Tituba’s flaws throughout her existence. She yields to men, valuing their freedom above her own. Condé’s fictional portrayal of Tituba includes biblical allusions to the instruction she had imparted to her by deceased loved ones. The usage of a biblical analogy makes an indirect connection to the bible. While God directed individuals in the bible, Tituba is guided by influential ladies in her life. Although she heeds their counsel, she often chooses to follow the men in her life, resulting in her death. In the biblical setup, Eve defies God by eating the fruit. Tituba disregards the counsel of previous ladies throughout her life, leading to several catastrophes. “I was the last to be led to the gallows; surrounding me were odd trees brimming with unusual fruit.” Tituba died with the knowledge of what her life has been, a life spent entirely under the influence of men.
In the 1600s, the white man had a significant impact on Tituba’s life. The white man’s hegemony over all spheres of existence unfairly treated women without consideration or care for them as human beings (Bilal and Ashfaq 780). The author’s argument indicates that males ruled Tituba’s life from birth to maturity. Condé says, “A white guy had raped my mother. She had been executed due to an encounter with a white man. My adopted father committed suicide as a result of an encounter with a white man.” Her skin color is a significant factor in the disparity between her and a white woman. Because she is dark-skinned, life is more difficult for her, and as a result, she is forced to live under the direction and control of a man. John Indian, however, experiences a less harsh life which pioneers his disregard to fight for the less fortunate, especially women.
Though sexuality played a significant role in Tituba’s life, her skin color set her apart from other Salem women. Being a black woman entailed a great deal of scrutiny. And not only from males but also from white females (Bilal and Ashfaq 778). “They were erasing me from the human grid. I was an amorphous entity. Invisible. More imperceptible than the invisible, who at the very minimum had abilities that everyone dreads.” The author’s argument highlights the racial and gender features that contribute to Tituba’s life being unjust. Tituba is a figment of white people’s imagination; she is blatantly exploited and must live with the repercussions of others, such as John Indian’s cowardly decisions.
Earlier depictions of the Salem Witch Trials emphasized the unjust nature of the allegations made by mostly female witnesses. Condé reveals the truth about Salem’s black witch. Suffering appeared to never stop for a black female slave in the 17th century. Tituba, the dark witch, utilizes her healing abilities for good and abstains from using them for evil. Tituba maintained her composure despite her ordeals and remained a woman of excellent character, demonstrating her determination to assist others despite her difficulties. The novel I, Tituba, brings out the effects of patriarchy and racism on people of color and, majorly, on women. The book exposes John Indian’s cowards and selfishness towards Tituba. The vices are amplified by patriarchy in an attempt to objectify women. Tituba adopts a practical approach to dealing with her life predicaments.