Courtroom Conflict
This character brings Mary Warren to court hoping her testimony will stop the trials.
John Proctor
This judge believes that questioning the court is equivalent to opposing God.
Danforth
This internal conflict drives John Proctor’s struggle at the end of the film.
John’s struggle between survival and moral integrity
A fallacy that forces a person to answer a question that assumes guilt or wrongdoing.
Loaded question
This theme shows how fear spreads faster than truth in Salem.
Mass hysteria (dangers of)
In the courtroom, this object is used to challenge the credibility of the girls’ accusations.
The Poppet
The girls gain power in court primarily through this emotional tactic.
Emotional manipulation / hysteria (fear-based testimony)
Elizabeth refuses to influence John’s final decision because she believes in this value.
Personal conscience / individual moral choice
This fallacy distracts from the main issue by introducing irrelevant information.
Red herring
The trial questions personal ___ vs. ___ (think Proctor and Giles)
Integrity vs. survival
This character repeatedly argues that the court values accusation over evidence.
John Proctor (argues the court relies on accusation, not proof)
This character refuses to reconsider earlier rulings despite mounting contradictions.
Danforth (refuses to halt proceedings or admit error)
John’s view of his own identity changes most clearly during this scene.
When John refuses to sign the confession and reclaim his name
Comparing two things as similar when the comparison does not logically hold.
False analogy
This theme explains why characters protect the court even when it is wrong.
Abuse of power / institutional self-preservation
The court’s reaction to Mary Warren’s confession shows how fear influences authority. What does the court do exactly?
The court dismisses Mary Warren’s truth because fear and authority outweigh logic and evidence
The film emphasizes how public reputation shapes decisions more than truth, how?
Characters fear public shame and loss of authority more than injustice
Elizabeth’s silence in Act 4 represents growth in her understanding of love.
She learns that love is not control and allows John moral autonomy
Assuming that because one event follows another, the first must have caused the second.
Post hoc (post hoc ergo propter hoc)
The film suggests that _____ _______ often requires personal sacrifice.
Moral courage
This moment marks the turning point where reason fully collapses.
Mary Warren breaks and accuses John Proctor of witchcraft
This belief system allows injustice to continue even when doubt is present.
Theocratic absolutism / belief that the court equals divine will
This choice defines John Proctor’s moral legacy in the final moments of the film.
Choosing death rather than a false confession
Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack.
Straw Man
Acts 3 and 4 together argue that justice without compassion becomes this.
Injustice or moral corruption (justice without mercy)