...theme of The Crucible as displayed through the author is that hysteria can rip apart a community, this is expressed through language, symbolism and characterization. First, language in The Crucible displays the theme by showing aggressive and passionate tones. Shouting from the accused at trials shows how bad the hysteria was. Also, the girls screaming at the sights of pretend spirits shows that the language in the play fuels the theme of mass hysteria ripping apart the town. Elizabeth and John Proctor confessing their...
Words: 486 - Pages: 2
...She is manipulating John Proctor by praising him and talking bad about his wife for the reason that she is envious of their relationship. Abigail constantly says Elizabeth is spreading lies in the village about her, however, ironically she is making up a huge lie by pretending there is a Devil in Salem which is causing people to die for what they believe in. All the girls in the group that was caught singing and dancing in the forest attend every witch trial, in which case Mary Warren, the Proctor’s current servant, and Abigail Williams sat beside each other when Mary made the poppet for Elizabeth Proctor. The people of authority during the trials go to the Proctor’s house to find the poppet since Abigail accuses Elizabeth of murder as Hale saying, “Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were found stuck into her belly” (72). Abigail manipulates the whole situation since she is jealous of Elizabeth being John Proctor’s wife. She is able to gain power because of the symbolism of the poppet and is also now able to obtain Proctor. The poppet shows Abigail's evil nature and her plotting to kill Elizabeth through the accusation of witchcraft which is all out of extreme jealousy. The people in Salem make untruthful claims against others in order to obtain justice for...
Words: 648 - Pages: 3
...guilt-by-association techniques” to rid America of Communism (Bach, Morten, and Hale, Korcaighe 68). The red scare led to many people fearing everyone else, thinking of them as Communist. In the Salem Witch Trials, witchcraft haunted the village much like during McCarthy era, Communism haunted America. During the McCarthy era and the Salem Witch Trials, people became so scared of accusations of witchery or Communism that they proceeded to try almost anything to keep themselves out of harm. The Crucible shows a symbolism of McCarthyism in the 1950’s In the beginning of The Crucible, flaws in the Puritan religion shine through Parris. Parris, too drawn up in himself, worried only about his reputation, so when Abigail won’t tell him what happened he yells to her, “I have sought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people...
Words: 587 - Pages: 3
...The Crucible and Honor With a story based on the mass hysteria of the red scare, and characters that are about as evil as they come, The Crucible dramatizes events that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. The story, written by Arthur Miller, gives the viewer a glance into the lives of those who lived during the Salem witch Trials. It is dark and dismal and brimming with symbolism, from comparisons to Communism, to a man’s honor in his name. Due to false accusations, the lead of The Crucible, John Proctor, is sent to be executed due to his supposed involvements with Witch Craft. As many know the author Arthur Miller was sent to Jail for his alleged involvements with Communist parties and his lack of willingness to betray anyone involved. During...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...Arthur Miller gives us this play, which represents many things. He shows us people we can relate to and understand. We see trials and tribulations that these characters go through which helps us seem them as raw and unperfect people. Through these effects he establishes the foundations of The Crucible: courage, truth , and weakness which are represented by many characters throughout the play. Elizabeth Proctor, one of the plays most important characters, resembles truth like no other in the play. The part where she reveals her honesty and character is when she is called in front of the court to testify against Abigail Williams for comiting adultery with her husband. In this moment, she lies to protect her husband. Here she is honest to her husband and to her marriage. She is honest and tries to the bigger person in times of trial which is something we can all admire her for. John Proctor, like his wife, has not only superior morals and character, but more courage than the average man. Proctor shows us multiple times that he is more than willing to stand up for...
Words: 522 - Pages: 3
...of fear debilitating ones ability to make the right decision. Mary Warrens fear of death resulted in many deaths. John Proctor’s fear of judgment kept him from revealing the truth. Lastly, the fear of the unknown, in the mind of the townspeople, set off a series of devastating events that transpired throughout the book. Furthermore, fear darkened their conscience, and as a result, self preservation became prioritized above all else. Mary Warren, naturally a honest women, wanted to confess to the dancing and conjuring spirits in the woods. However, Abigail disagreed and threatened to kill her and, consequently, fear overtook Mary until she was Abigail’s slave, or rather, a slave to fear (Miller, pg.19). Mary knew the truth, the truth that could have saved lives, but withheld it. She lied and became dishonest, for the reason that she was afraid of being hung as a witch herself. Therefore, she accused John Proctor, an upstanding man, and in doing so, she put him to death (Miller, pg.118). She was terrified of death, and Abigail made that horror something real that she couldn't overcome. So in turn, she took the pressure off herself and took a mans life to preserve her own. Abigail was a dishonest and deceitful girl, but to the town she appeared to be a credible and honest witness. John Proctor, however, was the only one who knew the truth. John Proctor knew that people were dying because of her false accusations and he knew of her manipulative nature. Despite the...
Words: 1253 - Pages: 6
...crucible refers to a container made of a substance that can resist great heat, for melting. In “The Crucible” the author uses characters that have moral problems that they either solve or fail to solve. John Proctor, Abigail, and Reverend Hale are considered the main characters in “The Crucible”. Abigail’s moral problem is lying. Abigail failed to solve her moral problem by choosing to lie to get out of various situations. Abigail did not like that Goody Proctor is the reason for her and Proctor’s failed relationship. Abigail chose to use Tituba’s voodoo skills to kill Proctor’s wife, Goody Proctor. Abigail is jealous of Goody Proctor because she has feelings for her husband John Proctor, after their affair. In the text Abigail stated to Proctor, “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” In this piece of text Abigail confesses her love to Proctor and she spoke of the affair between them. Abigail said if Elizabeth was no longer in the picture Proctor would be hers. (Include evidence from where Abigail was in the woods and she drank blood + explain) In Salem, Massachusetts, witchcraft is illegal and those who practice it are executed. In order to...
Words: 636 - Pages: 3
...The Crucible Essay Brandon McDonald In the story “The crucible” by author miller witchcraft has taken its toll in the house of Salem. Everyone in the town will go crazy because they have found a women doing crazy thing in the house of Salem. So in the book they stated that if witchcraft keeps going that all people will be into witchcraft. The people of Salem are religious. Witchcraft affects everyone. So the good people what ever they do involve around god. Witchcraft is affecting everyone because they don’t want people doing it kill them. So they are trying to catch the people that are doing it and kill them. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name”. The major part of witchcraft is that everybody hates you forever. The worst part is that they know when you’re doing it because you don’t show up for any community events. The town is all about God so they pray every day about witchcraft. They don’t want to get curtest so they go to church everyday to pray so they thought that a girl was doing it because she was acting weird and always quite. “A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir; I beg you—see what she is. . . . She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted...
Words: 402 - Pages: 2
...Transformation of Farmer John Proctor The characters inside of “The Crucible” live in the corrupt town of Salem. Suspicion of evil witchcraft activity between little girls turns into a controversy that will forever split the town. People are falsely blamed for a variety of reasons by an assortment of lying girls and sentenced to death by delusional judges of the court. These occurrences cause severe change in the main characters of the play; John Proctor, for example, undergoes major changes in behavior and attitude during the course of the play. Once his wife and family are involved, the trials become more than just silly happenings to Proctor. Towards the beginning of “The Crucible” Proctor’s actions were substantially influenced by how personal the cases in court became to him. When the trials began to spread to people who the Proctors’ care about Elizabeth wants John to go to court to tell how Abigail and the girls were lying. Afraid of Abigail telling on the affair, John Proctor is very hesitant to go to Salem. After Elizabeth tells John to hurry up and decide whether he is going into town, “I have good reason to think before I charge fraud upon Abigail…” (Miller, 194). Proctor decides that trying to save Rebecca Nurse and the others will only lead to Abigail ruining his name. Proctor, after being left amuck at the whole situation, leaves his anger out on Mary Warren. These decisions Proctor made will have resurgence later in “The Crucible”. John Proctor makes many choices...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...based on your knowledge of the drama. Write a response on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Where does Tituba think that the Devil is going to take her? 2. Give one example of how Abigail shows her dishonesty in this act. 3. What effect do the trials have on Salem? Use three details from the drama to support your answer. 4. When first arrives at the Salem jail, Danforth complains, “There is a prodigious stench in this place.” How might this line be read to mean something besides a comment on the smell? 5. How is Giles Corey’s character reflected in his death? Use one detail from the drama to support your response. 6. What qualities does Proctor find within himself that prevent him from at last saving himself and signing the confession? Use details from the text to support your response. 7. Explain how Proctor is right or wrong for refusing to sign the confession. Use details to support your response. 8. A tragic hero’s fate, according to Aristotle, inspires pity and horror. Name the tragic hero in The Crucible, and describe how his or her fate inspires both pity and horror. 9. People accused of being Communists had a difficult time getting jobs; some even moved out of the United States in order to try to resume normal lives. How is Proctor’s situation like that of the people accused of Communist activities? 10. Based on the conversation involving Tituba, Sarah Good, and Herrick at the beginning of Act IV of The Crucible, what obsession of the day...
Words: 2431 - Pages: 10
...religious power whose function was to keep the community together…” (Miller). “...at a later period in the history of New england, the grim rigidity that petrified the bearded physiognomies of these good people...” (Hawthorne). The Puritan standards are very rigid. They believe that if you commit any sin you should be put in jail or killed. Both books contain characters who are accused of a sin that wouldn’t be as big of a deal now - and punishments that would be considered cruel and unusual punishment now - such as public shame and hanging. Abigail in The Crucible and Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter both commit similar sins. Abigail is intimate with a married man and Hester is intimate with someone who isn’t her husband. “I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart!” (Miller). “...heard of Mistress Prynne and her evil doings.” (Hawthorne). They were probably both lonely and decided to have affairs even though it was highly condemned in the Puritan society. I think Hester, at the beginning of the book, is similar to Abigail because they are both being rebellious, but try to hide what they’ve...
Words: 663 - Pages: 3
...person. These scenarios can give one an entirely new perspective on life, and turn around his way of thinking. Events such as the Salem Witch Trials show the people involved what they could not see before. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, and John Proctor gain valuable insight into themselves, as well as others. Elizabeth Proctor has many moments which show how she is changing throughout the play. When she is trying to persuade Proctor to tell the court that Abigail said the girls were not practicing witchcraft, Elizabeth blurts out, "John, if it were not Abigail that you must go to hurt, would you falter now? I think not." Elizabeth is confessing that she believes Proctor had an affair with Abigail. She is giving him no mercy by showing that she will never forget what happened. When Elizabeth is being accused of stabbing Abigail, she instructs Proctor to go to court, and tells him "Oh, John, bring me soon!" Elizabeth is gaining trust in John. She is forgetting his act of adultery and now has faith that he will defend her. At the end of the play, when Proctor is sentenced to death, Elizabeth says that "he [has] his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!" Elizabeth is admitting that John was righteous to confess his sin of lechery, and she should have pardoned him. She considers herself impure for not showing mercy, and does not want to take away from his glory. Elizabeth has transformed from an ignorant victim of adultery, to a forgiving...
Words: 866 - Pages: 4
...just accuse them of witchcraft and without evidence it actually works 3-tituba- reverent Parris slave, accused of trying to conjure dead spirits Abigail- 17-year-old niece of Parris, affair with proctor, control the girls involve in the witch trial Betty- teenage daughter of Parris, afraid of Abigail, fakes that she is under a spell 4-putnam send her daughter Ruth with Tituba to conjure the death of her mother seven death kids...
Words: 1476 - Pages: 6
...In "The Scarlett Letter", written in 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne establishes commodity into the relationships between characters. Commodity in a relationship is where people must have a profit or gain something from the relationship otherwise they will not be apart of the relationship. The main victim of this commodity is Hester Prynne. The reason behind her rejections is because of her sins as an adulterer and social status cause many townsmen and regular people to reject her and avoid her at all costs. The other people in these relationships include Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth. Perhaps the most important relationship in The Scarlet Letter is Roger Chillingworth and Hester Prynne. Although their relationship doesn't last very long we do learn and discover lots of information about their past. We find out Roger Chillingworth is actually Heater's husband who she left to venture to America while he stayed in England. Hester could easily tell everyone in Salem who Mr. Chillingworth actually is when she is being publicly shamed but she refrains and keeps silent. Mr. Chillingworth or Mr. Prynne tells Hester he will not publicly admit to knowing her in the past as it would destroy his reputation as a doctor and as a man. “It may be," he replied, "because I will not encounter the dishonor that besmirches the husband of a faithless woman.” (Hawthorne page 157). Chillingworth also threatens Hester by giving her an ultimatum to keep his secret or he will tell everyone...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...of the witch trials out of his craving for recognition, he soon had to conform to the beliefs he instilled in others. In Act II of the play, the audience gets the first glimpse of Hale’s change of heart. After John Proctor shares with him that Elizabeth's sickness was not a result of witchcraft, Hale begins to question what he has started. This was shown through the infliction in his voice. Miller describes his words to be spoken as, “deeply troubled,” or, “in great uncertainty.” Although he clearly begins to see the injustice of the situation, he continues to support the beliefs that he introduced to the community. At the beginning of Act III, the audience can see which way Hale decided to go. He timidly starts trying to defend those on trial by somewhat suggesting that those accused should have a chance to defend themselves. However, after the court silences him his suggestions morph into demands and he even questions the court about the fairness of the trials. In Act IV, Hale does all that he can to save or postpone the hangings of Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor. When he was questioned on the matter, he confesses his guilt as he asked if, they, “could not see the blood on [his] head.” At this moment, it is easy to tell that his efforts to save John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse were also his efforts to undo the hysteria he started. The moments between Act II and Act III are where the internal conflict occurs. Hale had to make the decision of whether or not to stick to...
Words: 679 - Pages: 3
