Right from the start, it's abundantly clear that the ironically-named "Goodwife" Cruff hates Kit—and it's not hard to see why. For one thing, Kit is an outsider in the Puritan community, and if there's one thing that Goodwife Cruff hates, it's outsiders.
However, in this case, Cruff's hatred stems from more than just Kit's status as an outsider; Cruff's loathing for her is deeply personal. Cruff hates Kit for diving into the water to retrieve her daughter Prudence's doll. Most mothers would've been incredibly grateful for such a selfless act of heroism—but not Cruff. When Prudence loses her doll, Cruff's immediate reaction is one of cruel scolding; she slaps Prudence across the face and tells her off.
Kit's more empathetic (and more recognizably human) reaction exposes Cruff for the cruel, spiteful woman that she really is—and Cruff hates her for it. From that moment, she becomes determined to do everything she can to blacken Kit's reputation. This then prompts Cruff to tarnish Kit's status in the Puritan community in the most effective way she knows how: by accusing her of witchcraft.
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