Witch Child - Journey One Guide
Witch Child

The Voyage – Part 1

Introduction

Mary begins her voyage across the Atlantic on the Annabel, but the ship becomes “lost in an ice-bound wilderness” and they see The Northern Lights. Read through Entries 11 – 19 and answer the following questions. There are suggested answers at the bottom of the page so you can check your own responses.

Comprehension Questions

  1. Suggest why the writer wanted to include Mary’s dream about the women who were “keeping a watch for our passing” to offer them “blessings”? What does it add to the story?
  2. Explain why is Mary “quick to open” the “small window” in Elias Cornwell’s cabin.
  3. Suggest a reason why Elias Cornwell does not want to refer to his “journal” as a “diary”?
  4. Why does he need Mary’s help to write his “Book of Wonders”?
  5. What is the first Great Wonder Mary sees from the ship?
  6. Where is Mary’s “quiet place for writing”?
  7. What two reasons does Cornwell give for the lack of wind?
  8. In your own words, what did Cornwell think he saw in the sky?
  9. What is Jonah Morse’s interpretation of those same lights?

Vocabulary

Writers need to choose the most appropriate words and phrases to deliver their story to the reader. However, there will be some words we have never seen before so we might have to guess their meaning using clues from the rest of the sentence and what is happening in the story.

You should always check their definitions in the dictionary, even if you think you know what they mean, because you might find some some surprising explanations. You will also notice many words have more than one definition or usage so you need to choose the one most appropriate in the context of the sentence.

Using an online resource, such as dictionary.com, write down definitions of the following words:

  1. Craggy
  2. Afflicted
  3. Stricken
  4. Lurch
  5. Alleviate
  6. Din
  7. Omen
  8. Fragments
  9. Musty
  10. Obstruct
  11. Faltered
  12. Glimpse
  13. Canvas

Similes

The following quotations are examples of similes from this section of the novel. Work through each image and identify what two things are being compared. Explain what makes each comparison appropriate. In other words, what makes them similar?

  1. The “women” who are “staring out as if from thrones”
  2. “We are all packed as close as herring in a barrel”
  3. “Peas stay as hard as musket balls”
  4. “The sea is dark green and strangely still like glass”
  5. “The canvas snapped, cracking like gunshot”
  6. “Cornwell, clean-shaven and pale as parchment…”

Obviously, similes help describe the characters and situation at that moment in the story. Suggest other reasons writers use similes. If you have a really good idea, please share it in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Metaphors

The following metaphors are taken from this section of the novel. Work through each image and identify what two things are being compared. Explain what makes each comparison appropriate. In other words, what makes them similar?

  1. “His thin hair plastered to his forehead”
  2. “The waves hissing at my side”
  3. “Many of the families are tightly knit by marriage”
  4. “Hatreds sprout and blossom with strange speed”
  5. “There is not a breath of wind”
  6. “Elias Cornwell led his flock up on deck”
  7. “Torrent of words”

Metaphors are not as easy to identify as similes so be careful. If you are not sure about the meaning of some words, you should check their definitions in a dictionary.

Finally, try to come up with your own definition of a metaphor! If you have a really good definition, please share it in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Comprehension Suggested Answers

Suggest why the writer wanted to include Mary’s dream about the women who were “keeping a watch for our passing” to offer them “blessings”? What does it add to the story?

Celia Rees may have included Mary’s dream about the women who were “keeping a watch for our passing” to offer the ship “blessings” because it associates the character with witchcraft and implies she might have supernatural powers.

Explain why is Mary “quick to open” the “small window” in Elias Cornwell’s cabin.

Mary is “quick to open” the “small window” in Elias Cornwell’s cabin because the room “smells sour, of vomit and the slop bucket”. It must really smell disgusting.

Suggest a reason why Elias Cornwell does not want to refer to his “journal” as a “diary”?

Cornwell does not want to refer to his “journal” as a “diary” because he sees it as a more important record than a “frivolous” account of someone’s thoughts.

Why does he need Mary’s help to write his “Book of Wonders”?

Cornwell needs Mary’s help to write his “Book of Wonders” because he is “too weak at present even to hold a pen”.

What is the first Great Wonder Mary sees from the ship?

The first Great Wonder Mary sees from the ship is a “huge bird” which is flying in “lazy circles” above the ship.

Where is Mary’s “quiet place for writing”?

Mary’s “quiet place for writing” is a “dry” and “sheltered” area that is used for “storing spare ropes and sails”.

What reasons does Cornwell give for the lack of wind?

Cornwell offers two reasons why there is a lack of wind. Firstly, he believes they must have done “wrong” and “sinned grievously to earn His displeasure” so God is punishing them. He also suggests that there might be a “witch on board” who is a “servant of Satan” trying to cause evil in the world.

In your own words, what did Cornwell think he saw in the sky?”

Cornwell thought he saw the entrance to Heaven in the sky.

What is Jonah Morse’s interpretation of those same lights?

Jonah Morse had “seen the lights many times on his travels” and he called them “Aurora Borealis, Lights of the North”. He thought they were a natural phenomenon.

Vocabulary Task

Suggested Answers

  1. Craggy: rugged and rocky cliffs.
  2. Afflicted: physically or mentally distressed.
  3. Stricken: seriously affected by disease.
  4. Lurch: sudden and unsteady swaying motion.
  5. Alleviate: lessen the pain and suffering.
  6. Din: unpleasant and loud noise.
  7. Omen: a sign of what will happen in the future.
  8. Fragments: a small, broken piece.
  9. Musty: damp and unpleasant smell.
  10. Obstruct: to block something or someone.
  11. Faltered: lost or wavering intensity.
  12. Glimpse: a very brief look at someone or something.
  13. Canvas: a strong and heavy cloth.

Similes

Suggested Answers

1. The writer describes the “women” along the coast as “staring out as if from thrones”. This simile suggests they are powerful rulers of this landscape.
2. Rees compares the people in the ship to “herring in a barrel”. This simile is appropriate because both are “packed” really tightly and “close” together.
3. The author compares the “peas” they are eating to “musket balls” used to shoot people. This simile is effective they are both “hard”.
4. The writer compares the “sea” to “glass”. This description is effective because they are both “strangely still” and reflective.
5. Rees compares the sound of the sail’s “canvas” to the blast of “gunshot”. They are both very loud and scary.
6. The author compares Cornwell’s face to “parchment”. This suggests his face is “pale” and thin like paper.

Using Similes

Writers will present characters and places that are unfamiliar to the reader. Similes are useful because they describe the image by using references we might be more likely to recognise. For example, we have never seen Elias Cornwell but we can picture his pale and thin face because we know how “parchment” looks and feels.

Metaphors Suggested Answers

Suggested Answers

  1. Rees describes how Cornwell’s “thin hair” is “plastered to his forehead”. This comparison is an effective description because his hair is stuck to his skin in the same way plaster hardens onto the surface when it dries.
  2. The author describes the sound of “waves” as “hissing”. By comparing the waves to the sharp sounds from a snake, Rees is suggesting they are dangerous and attacking the narrator.
  3. The writer describes the “families” as “tightly knit by marriage”. This compares their closeness to weaving yarn tightly into clothing. They are all joined together.
  4. The narrator describes how the passenger’s “hatreds sprout and blossom”. This compares their antagonism towards each other to unstoppable ugly weeds.
  5. The speaker mentions that “there is not a breath of wind”. This metaphor suggests the air is holding its “breath” so there is no movement.
  6. Rees compares the congregation to a “flock”. This suggests they are easily led like sheep.
  7. The description of the “words” as a “torrent” suggests they are flowing out quickly and even violently from Cornwell’s mouth as if it were a rushing river.

Metaphor Definition

A metaphor is a figure of speech which compares a person, place or thing to something else for dramatic effect.

Learn More

Thanks for Reading!