PLOTS AND EVENTS
What gift does Mary Warren give Elizabeth Proctor?
Poppet
Why does John Proctor hesitate to expose Abigail‘s lies?
He has no proof because they were alone
What does the poppet symbolize in act two?
Innocence twisted into evidence or false accusations
Who said the following: “I saved her life today“?
Mary Warren
What theme is shown when innocent people are arrested without real evidence.
An abusive power and injustice
What does Mary Warren say She went to Salem despite John’s orders?
She is an official of the court
Why does Elizabeth urge John to go to Salem early in act two?
To reveal that Abigail said the girls sickness had nothing to do with witchcraft
What does Reverend Hale’s heavy books symbolize?
The weight of authority and knowledge
“The devil is precise.” What does Reverend Hale mean by this?
The Devil works in exact ways
The court’s actions in act two reflect what two real historical events?
The Salem witch trials and McCarthyism/the red scare
Who is accused of witchcraft in act two and shocks the Proctors?
Rebecca Nurse
Why does Mary Warren not want to go against Abigail?
She is afraid of Abigail‘s power and threats
What does the tension between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor symbolize?
The lingering guilt of John’s affair
“ Adultery, John.“ who said this and what is the significance of this moment?
ElizabethProctor said it and shows that John Proctor forgets the commandment about adultery revealing guilt
What major theme appears when John Proctor struggles with honesty and Elizabeth is honest
The importance of personal integrity
Why does Hale visit the Proctors?
To investigate the Christian character of their home
Why does Reverend hale become uneasy during his visit with John and Elizabeth Proctor?
John’s lack of church attendance, his failure to baptize his third child and John’s forgotten commandment
What motive is emphasized by the courts willingness to believe in evil influence?
Hysteria and fear over riding logic
Who says, “You have a faulty understanding of young girls“?
Elizabeth Proctor
Which theme is reinforced by Reverend Hale’s shock at the news that Rebecca Nurse was arrested?
Conflict between truth and authority
What event causes Elizabeth to be arrested at the end of act two?
The needle found in the poppet
Why does John Proctor rip up the warrant for Elizabeth Proctor’s arrest?
He believe the court is corrupt and unjust
What does Mary Warren‘s transformation from timid servant to official of the court symbolize?
How power corrupts and empowerment through fear
“We are what we always were but naked now.” What does this quote imply, and who said it?
The truth and sins that have always existed are now exposed. John Proctor said it.
Which theme foreshadows later acts when John Proctor has the outburst accusing the court of injustice?
Individual morality versus corrupt systems