The Wonders of the Invisible World
Discussion Board: Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World”
There is still not a concrete explanation of why the “Salem Witch Trials” had happened: several theories are out there ranging from just a kind of mass hysteria, or cabin fever-as far as having a group of people who were isolated with each other for an extended period of time. On the other hand, Salem was a small town of too much rivalry and hostility that was allowed to fester and finally erupted into “Salem Witch Trials.” So, Mather is merely a record keeper who completely washes his hands of any judgment about whether the trials happened as they should, or they should not have taken place. Additionally, Mather says that he was not present, but he heard the stories from other people. He adds: although the devil has taken a role in those trials, he is questioning what the role is.
Question: Is the Puritan culture from which Mather arose antithetical to individualism, or does it merely reframe the place of the individual?
Submission Method: Click on “Discussion Board” and create a thread: type in or attach the answer.
