Final answer:
In Shirley Jackson's novel, Merricat embraces the role of being labeled a witch, while women in the 17th-century Salem witch trials were oppressed and burned. Merricat uses the witch label to create a safe space for herself and her sister.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Shirley Jackson's novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Merricat embraces the notion of being labeled a witch. She buries talismans, identifies magical words, and talks to her cat, Jonas, to facilitate the rumors.
This is in contrast to the 17th-century witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, where women who deviated from traditional gender roles were often labeled as witches and burned to death.
Merricat's embrace of the witch label allows her to create a woman-centered territory where she and her sister can live outside of societal expectations.