Caleb's Crossing

Caleb’s Crossing 

• Genre: Fiction; historical
• Originally Published: 2011 
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult 
• Structure/Length: 3 parts; 44 chapters; approximately 318 pages; approximately 12 hours, 6 minutes on audio 
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The novel tells the story of Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Indigenous person to graduate from Harvard College in 1665, through the eyes of Bethia Mayfield, a minister’s daughter on Martha’s Vineyard. The central conflict explores the cultural and personal crossings Caleb must navigate to achieve this historic milestone, intertwined with Bethia’s own struggles against the gender constraints of her time. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Colonialism; cultural conflict and assimilation; gender inequality; religious and moral dilemmas; depiction of 17th-century prejudices and hardships

Geraldine Brooks, Author 

• Bio: Born 1955; Australian American author and journalist; known for richly detailed historical fiction; often explores the intersections of history and personal narrative, bringing to light overlooked or underrepresented stories; Pulitzer Prize winner for March (2005) 
• Other Works: March (2005); People of the Book (2008); Year of Wonders (2001); The Secret Chord (2015) 

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Tensions Between and Among Indigenous People and European Settlers
• Knowledge, Faith, and Debate
• Gender and Racial Disputes

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the historical, sociocultural, and religious contexts of the text to better comprehend the internal and external conflicts of Caleb and Bethia.