ACT I
What is Rebecca's explanation for the girls' behavior?
Puberty / "silly seasons"
What gift did Mary give Elizabeth?
A poppet / doll?
Why is Giles Corey expelled from court?
He wouldn't give up the name of the man who wanted land.
held in check; silenced
Suppressed
Why doesn't Mary want to testify about the doll?
If she does, she fears Abby will turn on her and make her life miserable.
Who is Reverend John Hale, and why does he come to Salem?
He's an expert on witchcraft and he's here to help with the witch trials.
Where does Elizabeth want John to go, and what does she want him to do there?
Salem; talk to the court and stop the accusations.
Why is Mary Warren in court?
To testify that she and the girls were just pretending to be bewitched.
fearful; afraid; worried; uneasy
Apprehensive
What is Proctor's reason for why he doesn't attend church regularly?
Parris doesn't talk about God anymore. All he talks about is hellfire and damnation.
What do Putnam and Proctor argue about? What does this show us about what kind of man Putnam is?
They argue about land.
It shows us that Putnam is greedy for land.
Hale asks Elizabeth if she believes in witches. What is her reply?
If she's accused then she's not a witch but if the Bible says there are witches then there must be.
How does Abby turn the court against Mary Warren?
She claims to see Mary's spirit in the form of a yellow bird on the rafters.
frightening due to great strength
Formidable
To what did Tituba confess and why?
Conjuring the devil; lesser punishment
Why does Mrs. Putnam believe there are witches in Salem?
She believes this because all of her children have died mysteriously.
What 3 things are "suspicious" about Proctor and his family?
- Youngest son isn't baptized
- John can't remember the commandments
- They don't attend church regularly
Why is the testimony Elizabeth gives an unfair test of her word against John's?
"It's a natural lie to tell."
Elizabeth assumed John would lie so she did too to try to save her husband.
great in size or force; exceptional
Prodigious
When it is known that girls have danced, what is Mary's argument to Abby for why they should come clean?
They'll only be whipped for dancing. If they are conjuring spirits, they'd be hanged.
Explain how the witch-hunt years were a time of general revenge.
People could accuse other people of being a witch simply because they didn't like them.
What was the "evidence" against Sarah Good?
She mumbled when she was turned away from begging.
What does Mary Warren tell Danforth?
She thought she saw spirits. She was crying witchcraft because everyone else was.
a dispute, argument, or disagreement
Contention
Why does Hale denounce the proceedings (i.e. Why does Hale quit the court?)
He can see right through the trials and that the girls are pretending.