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Analysis of the salem witch trials
What is the first name of the crucible
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Everyone conforms, even if it is for the worst. People conform when they fear the results of when they rebel. To conform is perceived to behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. Many scenarios in history show what happens when people conform. Conforming is almost always a terrible idea. When people conformed in the Salem Witch Trials, the problem had increased to the point of innocent people being hanged. The in book “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller shows the conforming of the people in Salem. In the book, it explains the consequences of conforming for the worst and what happens when people rebel. When rebelling people show great self-respect, human rights, and can save lives when rebelling for the good instead of …show more content…
They express their opinion instead of shying away. Sometimes, even stating just one opinion that differs from that of the group may result in being labeled as “strange”, “difficult”, or “stubborn”.(Van Der Borne) Even when others will judge the rebel, they still stand for what they believe in. One character that showed an enormous amount of self-respect is Gile Cory in “Crucible” by Arthur Miller. When the court asked him to give up the name of the man who accused the Putnam he knew his rights and what would happen to him.”Judge Danforth: If you do not give me his name, I will have you arrested for contempt of court. Giles Corey: This is a hearing. You cannot arrest me for contempt of a hearing.(Miller(87)) Denying the court was a rebellious act and he stated his opinion. He stood by his word and was killed for not conforming with the court. Showing self-respect and standing for what people believe might be challenging but it also is the best …show more content…
The government, judges, and political figures are the most persuasive when convincing individuals to conform. “It could easily be overwhelming to face a group on the other side of an issue or candidate…”(Van Der Borne) This text shows when going against a crowd people can feel they need to change their minds. In the book, the Crucible and strong character who rebelled and stood against a higher standing figure is John Proctor. He stood against the court and did not give into agreeing with them. “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! This warrants vengeance!”.(Miller(73)) Mr. Proctor's speech is telling what he believes and how it goes against the court's decision. Since Proctor did not conform he possibly saved many other women's lives. Rebelling against higher standings can be for the better good. Even if it can be overwhelming to rebel, “studies suggest that reminding yourself of wanting to be an individual can make it a better experience…”(Van Der
Both the struggles of young women to conform to standards set by their societies and the struggles of all people to uphold their reputations—in the Puritan culture and today’s world—are prominent issues displayed in The Crucible and Conversion. These societal standards put unjust pressure on women to appear “perfect.” Whether it is as an ideal Puritan, a loyal friend, or a prepared college girl, everyone wants to have a pristine reputation. Conformity is often seen as a way to be perfect and obtain a perfect reputation, when in reality, it is not. Seen mostly in young women in The Crucible, conformity plays a role in causing the problems which eventually result in multiple deaths. In the Puritan society, everyone knew everything about the
The focus of Miller’s The Crucible is an appalling witch trial that morfs the once-peaceful town of Salem into a cutthroat slaughterhouse. As a lucrative playwright and a not-so-subtle allegory author, Miller is a seasoned wordsmith who addresses people akin to himself, and is not secretive about that information. The Crucible best serves its purpose as a learning device and a social statement, especially at the time of its publishing. Miller‘s piece showcases the appeals in an easy-to-identify manner that is perfect for middle or high school students who are new to the appeals, or for English majors who have no problem pinpointing them, making this play ideal for a classroom setting.
The Crucible is an incredibly influential play no only in the fact that it displays many important themes, but it also portrays how a theocracy impacts societal actions. The Salem witch trials were the culmination of the problems with theocracy. The actions of society, not only are impacted by their personal thoughts, but also in religious undertones affect them. Act two in the play portrays not only all of these themes, but also some important events leading towards the witchcraft hysteria. Act two in the play portrays how theocracy ultimately leads to chaos.
Although heteronomous obedience may be a benefit for everyone, this form of obedience could lead to the destruction of a town, or better yet, a civilization. The most important form of obedience are principles and intuitions fixed within the daily instincts of everyday life; the type of obedience that reveals what is right from what is wrong. As it is revealed in The Crucible, autonomous obedience must be followed. Although it did lead to John Proctor’s demise, it revealed to the town that he was willing to surrender his life so he wouldn’t be required to lie. This allowed them to understand that if he truly was the “witch” they accused him of, he would have never been willing to end his life over the issue. Instead, like an honest, Puritan Christian, Proctor upheld his loyalty to God and chose to make a statement to all of those in Massachusetts. It was because of him, that the town finally realized that they had been accusing the wrong individuals, and shouldn’t have been convicting innocents of crimes without factual evidence. It was because of one person’s decision to follow autonomous obedience that the town of Salem was not completely
Through out the ages the inevitable dilemma of the balance of power is always seen where the governing super power wants to fullycontrol an individual through every aspect of their life. This description nodoubt, fully describes the Puritan belief system in Salem, where the church/court has the authority over everything or else itâˆ(tm)s of the devil. The conceptof individuality is highly resented making everyone follow the leader withoutthought. However there are those who question the authority when situation seemto surpass reason. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Proctor, astrong steadfast farmer resides in the small town of Salem, which is engulfedin hysteria due to the accusations of children that many of the townâˆ(tm)s peoplehad partaken in witchcraft. Among the accused is he (Proctor). Proctor is theonly individual willing to question the puritan belief system. He believes thatno man (church/court) should have control over the life of the other. Only Godhas the power to judge and condemn. Therefore, choosing the more tragic outcome by not allowing himself to lose his individuality and sense of self;conflict of ethics between what is right from wrong as well as sheer lack ofcommon sense. Through Proctor, miller shows how an individual should notallow society to divest their sense of self, Instead, hold unto onesindividuality as well as integrity and not let society have the upper hand,leading one to lose their sense of right and wrong.
Fear, resulting in chaos, and overturned lives affected the personal decisions of John Proctor, thus creating inner conflicts, as well as desperation in the story. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, John Proctor's stand in a society where opinion drove fate created ignominy towards him and his beliefs. At first he hid his horrible sin inside, fearing the consequences. When he finally did, he was placed in a tangled labyrinth of feelings as to what his next action should be. Lastly, it's Proctor's defiance and integrity in his own self that proved him stronger than the entire community of Salem. Proctor's tremulous feelings and general unease of the situation built up to his defining point of confession. Theocracy came together to take coerce control Salem and it's actions. Proctor saw this and feared, for diabolism was a practice unheard of. Danforth states, "You must understand, sir, a person is either with the church or against it, there be no road between. We live no longer in the dusky afternoon and evil mixed itself with good and befuddled world. Now by God's grace the good folk and evil entirely separate"(63).
In the Crucible, we are introduced to the main protagonist John Proctor; the way that Arthur Miller presents him by rebelling against the authority in Salem. Out of the entire town he is the only person that speaks out, realising that the authority is unfair and unjust; he is not like everyone else in the town who keeps quiet to themselves. There are many situations where we the readers can see very clear examples of him rebelling against the authority that controlled Salem. One example of Proctor rebelling against authority in Salem was when he did not go to church on a Sabbath day and instead decided to pray in his own home ‘Mr Proctor, your house is not a church; your theology must tell you that’. That is one clear example of him rebelling
Pretend you are Arthur Miller, who just finished writing his play on the Salem witch trials called “The Crucible”. Wait, why did you pick the name crucible out of all the names in the world for your play. What does that word mean, well Webster's dictionary defines a “crucible” as being, “a container in which metals are heated, involving a change." and "a severe test or trial.” Now knowing what it means, why do you know why you picked the word crucible for your the play?
A wise human once stated, “People are quick to believe the bad things they hear about good people”(Unknown). Bound by the nature of humans, many are hasty to believe inaccurate accounts, no matter the circumstances, whether the accounts have evidence, or if they have any veracity to them. In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, the hysteric citizens of Salem, Massachusetts experience an outrageous witch hunt movement, accumulating a hefty death total of twenty citizens. The play begins with Reverend Parris, a relatively new Puritan minister in Salem, whose daughter, Betty Parris, is stuck in a coma-like state. Parris reveals that his niece Abigail, was seen dancing with Betty, and Tituba, Parris’ black slave from Barbados. Concerned about his reputation,
Many different books, plays, and other works of art, compose to make up what is today called American literature. American literature however has no boundaries and has no definite start, and currently no definite end. Today American literature is heavily though of as works of literature composed by all Americans of all kinds. Meaning it has no true boundaries in the form of people. No matter race, location, or religion American literature, has a connection to all. American literature is what defines America and its peoples of all races. The true definition of American literature is vague and uncertain; however American literature exists and is a prominent subject throughout the world. Some of the greatest works of art come from American literature, and within this
In the play, Puritanism and their beliefs and values ruled Salem. Puritanism are a close community that follow a strict set of rules; there is little freedom for individuals. Individuals who are independent or do not conform to their values are immediately seen as threats to the community. The character of John Proctor is an example of a non-conformist as he believes in justice. Proctor’s sarcastic remark against Reverend Parris: “I like not the smell of this ‘authority,’” highlights his disagreement with Parris’s power and values. The sensory imagery emphasises Proctor’s non-conformist attitude and shows his deviance towards Parris, who is considered the highest power in society as he is the man closest to God. Proctor’s blasphemous exclaim: “I say God is dead!,” is a subversion of the Puritan society and theocratic values. The high modality emphasises his rebellion against Puritanism and emphasises his nonconforming nature. His refusal to conform to the Puritan values ultimately ends in his demise. The ripping of his confession and death symbolises his refusal to conform and his integrity; he does not want to be used to justify the witch hunt and the injustices the court has done. He does not want the other people to be seen as guilty for their crimes, when they weren’t; he does not want to be seen by others as a symbol of falseness
The deterioration of Salem's social structure precipitated the murders of many innocent people. Arthur Miller's depiction of the Salem witch trials, The Crucible, deals with a community that starts out looking like it is tightly knit and church loving. It turns out that once Tituba starts pointing her finger at the witches, the community starts pointing their fingers at each other. Hysteria and hidden agendas break down the social structure and then everyone must protect themselves from the people that they thought were their friends. The togetherness of the community, the church and legal system died so that the children could protect their families' social status.
It is a common question people have asked and the question is what the difference between “Good” and “Evil” is. This is difficult to find an answer to because it has the requirement of a moral background to be present, meaning that being good can mean one thing to one person and then another to some other person who has different beliefs or morals. In the Play, “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, “Evil” is brought up a myriad of times because of the fact that witches lay present in the Salem village, Massachusetts where the terror takes place. How evil is portrayed, people who aren’t witches but still have evil, and how evil is judged differently will be how “evil” is shown to be in the eye of the beholder.
Great events, whether they are beneficial or tragic ones, bring change in a person. These scenarios can give one an entirely new perspective on life, and turn around his way of thinking. Events such as the Salem Witch Trials show the people involved what they could not see before. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, and John Proctor gain valuable insight into themselves, as well as others.
“Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth” - Albert Einstein. Throughout the course of human history, authority has played a prominent role in our lives. Einstein’s quote about “blind belief in authority” explains the situation fittingly in “The Crucible”. Not only have the people of Salem senselessly believed in teenager’s accusations, but they have also supported the actions of the High Court, along with Judge Danforth and Reverend Parris, which has led to numerous innocent deaths. In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris, and Judge Danforth have differing views on how authority should be derived and applied.