Background/Setting
The Red Scare was a fear of communism and the threat it posed to democracy during the Cold War when the US and USSR were emerging as the world's greatest superpowers.
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
What is allegory?
When Abigail starts accusing several different women of witchcraft the other girls start making claims that they saw the same women doing witchcraft.
What is Bandwagon?
"And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!"
Abigail/Listen - if you tell anyone about what happened, I'll hurt you. I know how to as I have witnessed such pain before when my parents were killed in front of me. I'll make you wish you never lived."
Analysis will vary.
Create a theme statement using the words: Voice of Fear and Voice of Reason.
Ex.In times of panic, it is hard to control the voice of fear and allow the voice of reason to direct decision-making.
What beliefs did the Puritans bring with them to America?
"I will fall like an ocean on that court."
What is simile?
What is faulty causality?
“I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John, only somewhat bewildered.”
Elizabeth Proctor/ I do not judge you. You judge you. I only thought of you as a good man who made some misguided choices.
Answers will vary for analysis.
Explain the connection between the following:
Integrity
Arthur Miller
John Proctor
Arthur Miller saw himself in John Proctor's character (as an aside, he also was an adulterer) - he saw him as a tragic flawed hero. He knew what was right and good, but he fell victim to his own choices. In the end, Proctor believed in doing what was right over what would save him. Arthur Miller could have turned his friends in, but he didn't. He refused to and was willing to endure the consequences.
Why did Arthur Miller write The Crucible?
Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory. He was concerned about the way the US Government was going about accusing people of communist ideology with very limited evidence. Their "witch hunt" caused people to turn on their colleagues, neighbors, friends out of fear they too would be counted as communist. It was an ugly look at American government and the dangerous power it could use in times of hysteria.
"...Thou shalt not bear false witness. [He is stuck. He counts back on his fingers, knowing one is missing.] Thous shalt not make unto thee any graven image"
"You have said that twice, sir."
What is irony?
"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning”
What is either or?
“I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you, you least of all, Thomas would ever wish so disastrous a change laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will know me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.”
Rev. Parris/Let's not say it's witchcraft. I know you wouldn't want me (my household) to be charged with this. Let's not say that. I will lose my job and all that I'm worth here if you suggest that."
Answers will vary for meaning.
American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.” Explain how this idea relates to The Crucible.
Fear is what drives the hysteria in Salem and it can paralyze communities from saving themselves. It turns people against one another, it paralyzes others and it drowns out the voice of reason. This is exactly what happened in Salem and continues to happen when societies allow fear to control the masses. Individual reason is lost and people are persecuted and scapegoated as a means to grasp control when there is none to be had.
What do Senator McCarthy and Abigail Williams have in common?
They both leveraged the fear around them about outside threats to increase their own personal power and scapegoat others.
When John Proctor called Reverend Hale "Pontius Pilate."
What is allusion?
Abigail tells Hale that during the night they danced in the woods Tituba spoke the language of the people of Barbados while contacting the devil.
What is Ad Hominem?
"I never had no wife that be so taken with books, and I thought to find the cause of it, d'y'see, but it were no witch I blamed her for. He is openly weeping. I have broke charity with the woman, I have broke charity with her. He covers his face, ashamed.
Giles Corey/I was never married to someone who liked to read as much as my wife and I only wanted to understand why, but I wasn't suggested she was a with. I betrayed m wife.
Analysis will vary!
Rebecca Nurse Rev. Parris. Elizabeth Proctor Mary Warren
Mary Warren is the only character who changes dramatically in this play representing how the pressures of society can control one's decision-making, one's morality. While Parris is not good, he is steady in that he only wants to save himself.
What did it mean to be "The City on the Hill"?
"An everlasting funeral marches around your heart."
What is personification.
Cheever: He plow on Sunday, sir."
Danforth: "Plow on Sunday?!"
Cheever: "I think it be evidence, sir. I cannot keep it from the court."
What is Straw Man Argument?
"Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking Salem - vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!"
Proctor/Why don't you ever wonder if other people who point fingers are actually guilty? Why do you assume they are innocent. Revenge is taking over this town. We are the same town that has always had these feelings in it but now the children are the ones in charge and instead of truth, people's revenge on others determines who is innocent/guilty.
Analysis will vary.
What is the state of the community at the beginning of the play, as the play progresses and at the end of the play? How does this express the theme of the story?
The community is unified and reliant on each other for better or worse. It is imperfect and restrained because of all the Puritan principles. With the threat of Witchcraft, people distrust their neighbors and fear being accused themselves. Uncertainty and distrust of neighbors, and mostly FEAR drives the hysteria and all reason is lost. The end allows us to believe that the voice of reason always has a place even if it can't be heard by all - it is always there - it takes courage to speak the truth even when the truth may be concealed by fear.