The Crucible And A Dry White Season Analysis

Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible (1953) and the film, A Dry White Season (1989), directed by Euzhan Palcy allude to historical events of their time, in order to portray the impact of repressive political ideologies, thus supporting the idea that representation is used to shape meaning within a text and provoke respondents. The dramatisation of the Salem witch trials by Miller is used to represent the totalitarianism of Puritan theocracy and the impact of this on individuals and the community. In a similar way, Palcy delineates the tyrannical nature of the South African apartheid government and its implications, challenging respondents to question authoritative governments.

In The Crucible, Miller represents the Salem witch trials as the

The prop of the loose teeth is emblematic of the broken and corrupt nature of the court, as it is founded on physical power. The negative connotations of this, are indicative of the adverse consequences of systematic persecution of minorities, in giving rise to fraudulent behaviour. The use of the tracking shot across the floor of the morgue revealing the dead bodies of African children lined up on the floor, further accentuates the adversity experienced by individual’s as they suffer as a result of the crippling power of the apartheid government and struggle to find justice. The Machiavellian ways of the court, represented by Palcy, engenders a sense of pathos in respondents, creating a sense of disapproval towards the repressive governing system. This is extended in the representation of the idea of justice versus law, as the metaphoric language, “Justice and law are distant cousins and here in South Africa… not on speaking terms”. This communicates the subversion of ethical values, honesty and equality in the community and the ultimate corruption of the judicial system, as it is dominated by authoritative

Miller represents Proctor as a person who was “respected and even feared in Salem”, conveying his respectability, power and privilege in society, which he uses to as a tool against the court. Proctor’s stage direction after his false confession of witchcraft “tears the paper” highlights his awakening as he has seen through the political motivations and self-interest of those involved in the trials and subverts the court system. This is emblematic of his reverse of the intolerance and injustice in the community. The third person language and alliteration, “I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor” accentuates his change, as he finally understands his integrity and ability to good for the people. The funeral ending, metaphorically described as “bones in the morning air” is symbolic of the sacrifice of Proctor, as he stood up for justice in the court. This has biblical undertones of Jesus, who died for the sins of the people, as Proctor died in an attempt to free the innocent, accentuating the significance of his morality and desire to stand up for justice on both the individual and the