Nos-Punk

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. I only have a few.

1) Oftentimes depictions of witchcraft intersect with issues of feminism and the persecution of women. What fascinated me about THE WITCH is that while its depiction of witches is every bit as sinister and Satanic as the Puritans believed them to be, the narrative seemed to convey a feminist message overall and condemned the paranoid accusations that they made against their own. What is your opinion on this curious reconciliation between a negative depiction of a quintessential female archetype and a positive feminist message? Is this in fact what is achieved by the film, in your opinion? Or do you feel that it accomplishes something else?

2) The film's dedication to period accuracy is definitely worth praising, however I was also reminded of other works of literature that deal with similar themes. For instance, the work of Nathaniel Hawthorne was in the back of my mind, particularly "Young Goodman Brown" and the one everyone knows, with the big A. As an author yourself writing on such themes, do you draw on similar influences for your own work? Or are your sources of influence primarily historical?

3) In parts of Europe, things we identify as unique folkloric creatures or "classic monsters" were not so cleanly divided. A person accused of witchcraft may also be called a werewolf, for instance. That person may even be suspected of being a vampire after their death (by execution or otherwise). Do you have any particular theories about why such elements were not so popular when the witch phenomenon reached early America?

4) The Salem Witch Trials are a well known staple of popular culture, and many depictions of witches will refer to those events. However, the New England vampire panic of the late 18th and 19th century is not nearly as well known. With vampires rivaling witches in popular media, why do you think this aspect of American history has never been exploited?

Bonus Question) Where did the pointy hat thing come from? I love it when witches have a big black pointy hat.

Thank you very much for your reply. Indeed, that such a thing could happen here in America is very frightening. In times such as these, where wars are fought against ideologies, where paranoia and fear of "the other" can be felt in every school, movie theater, and airport, and where the most hateful and violent of people are serious candidates for the most powerful office in the country, if not the world, the fear of what happened in Salem is all too relevant.

I still want to know about the pointy hats though, haha.