Preface

What is a Preface

A preface provides an opportunity for the writer to speak directly to the reader about the story. “Witch Child” begins with an introduction which describes where the manuscript was discovered and how the text was updated for the modern reader.

By placing the story in the real world, Celia Rees is able to create a greater sense of authenticity

You can find some suggested answers at the bottom of the page.

Questions

The novel begins with an introduction from Alison Ellman:

The following manuscript comes from a remarkable collection of documents termed ‘the Mary papers.’ Found hidden inside a newly discovered and extremely rare quilt from the colonial period, the papers seem to take the form of an irregularly kept journal or diary. All dates are guesswork, based on references within the text. The first entries are tentatively dated from March 1659. I have altered the original as little as possible, but punctuation, paragraphing, and spellings have been standardized for the modern reader.

Alison Ellman
Boston, MA

1. What is a manuscript?
2. Where was the “Witch Child” manuscript discovered?
3. When was the colonial period? you can find out with a little research online.
4. When does the editor, Alison Ellman, believe the first entry was written?

Standardised Spellings

In the introduction, Alison Ellman mentions that the “spellings have been standardised”. She is referring to how words written in the 1600s would often be spelled differently. For example, the word “enow” would be changed to “enough” and “sallet” would be updated to “salad”.

What do you think is the modern equivalent to the following words:

1. Windore
2. Chymical
3. Hypocrisie
4. Murther
5. vp

Typeface

You will notice how the preface seems to be presented differently from the rest of the novel. This is because it uses a different typeface, which is called Courier. The writer and book publisher wanted the text to resembles a typewriter so they chose this particular typeface. Suggest why the author decided to use this method.

Essay Question

What is Celia Rees hoping to achieve by opening the novel in this way?

You can use your responses from the previous questions to support your answer.

Suggested Answers

What is a manuscript?

A manuscript is the original handwritten text of an author’s work. Interestingly, the word comes from Latin with the combination of manū, which means by hand, and scrīptus, which means written.

Where was the “Witch Child” manuscript discovered?

The “Witch Child” manuscript was discovered “hidden inside a quilt dating from the colonial period”.

When was the colonial period? The colonial period refers to the European colonisation of America from the early 1500s until American independence.

When does the editor, Alison Ellman, believe the first entry was written?

The editor, Alison Ellman, believes the first entry was written in “March 1659” because of some of the “references within the text”.

Standardised Spellings

1. Winore – Window
2. Chymical – Chemical
3. Hypocrisie – Hypocrisy
4. Murther – Murder
5. vp – Up

Typeface

Since the Courier typeface was designed for typewriters, the author decided to use this method to make it look as if this part of the novel was written on an old typewriter so the story would seem more genuine.

What is Celia Rees trying to achieve by opening the novel in this way?

Celia Rees is trying to establish the authenticity of the papers. If the author is able to convince the reader that her story is based on true events, it will add another level of drama and interest to the narrative because we will engage more closely with Mary’s terrible situation.