Comparison/Contrast: McCarthyism v. Salem Witch Trials

McCarthyism

• Hunt for communists
• Created accusations to gain status
• Accused Democratic party and US army
• Joseph McCarthy as "leader", Republican party as followers
• Fear of communism kept it alive
• Throughout America in 1950s
• Caused by communism gains by Soviets, the Korean war, and Truman being "soft on communism" 
• Communists were "taking over the government"
• Now defined today as "the unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty without providing evidence" (Danzer 620) 

Salem Witch Trials

• Hunt for witches/witchcraft
• Accusations created for revenge
• Accused women
• Abigail as "leader" with her friends as followers
• Fear that the devil would take over kept it alive
• In Salem, Massachusetts in 1692
• Caused by the idea that witches existed
• Witches were thought to be "taking over the town and destroying souls"

Both

• Search for "odd man out"
• Innocent were accused
• Names were made up with no proof
• "Ringleader", with followers
• Personal gain by the leader
• Both events occurred in the United States
• Pleads were made guilty
• Group of people that speak out against it

4 Concepts of Compare/Contrast

Judgement/Perception-Throughout the book, the characters in the story judge each other based on other people's thoughts and accusations. A such example would be in the conversation between John Proctor and his wife, Elizabeth. They discussed in the second act how people were being judged if they were involved with witches and how Proctor was being viewed by Elizabeth as a cheater. Thus he says, "I cannot speak but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into court when I come into this house" (Miller 54-55). This passage demonstrates how people judge you affects how you act and behave in society.

Deception- Joseph McCarthy had people believe that he had written proof of names that were involved in events pertaining to Communism. By using examples of people who were involved in communism inside of the government, he decieved people that Communism was taking over. It wasn't until later that people realized the foolishness behind McCarthy's words. Their fear led their thoughts and gave McCarthy a weakness that he could delve into. This proves that fear or emotion can cause deception.

Insanity- Abigail is the ringleader of the insanity in the town. During Proctor's trial, Abigail drove Mary Warren (Proctor's servant) so hysterical that she agreed to side with her and turn away from Proctor. Abigail's friends Mercy Lewis and Betty Parris followed whatever she did to cause a commotion at the trial, because they knew that they could overpower Mary. The girls would repeat everything that Mary Warren said. Finally, Mary says, "I go your way no more" and thus changes sides (Miller 118-119). This passage shows that insanity and hysteria can lead you to choices that you may not have made if you were sane, or can harm you or others in the future.

Reputation- In Salem, everyone's reputation was on the line. Because of accusations, women such as Rebecca Nurse and Martha Giles were tried for witchcraft. Most people viewed Rebecca as one of the most mature and innocent people in the town. Thus the Reverend Hale says, "If Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then there's nothing left to stop the whole green world from burning" (Miller 71). This shows how reputation can easily be destroyed by others seeking revenge.

Tenets of Puritanism

These are brief summaries of the 5 tenets from http://iws.ccccd.edu/mizell/2327/Puritanism.htm. Those who were part of this faith in Salem believed these things:
1. Supremacy of Divine Will- God was the absolute will.
2. Depravity of Man- Occurred because Adam disobeyed God.
3. Election- Only a few select would be saved.
4. Free Grace- God's grace is not won, it is given.
5. Predestination- God has already decided on people's fate.

A Summary of "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller

     The Crucible is a play that demonstrates how hysteria can lead to downfall. The play first focuses on Abigail Williams, a young and jealous girl, plotting revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail started the accusations of witchcraft because she wanted Elizabeth's husband, John Proctor, to herself. He had an affair with Abigail previously, causing Elizabeth to dismiss her from her servant duties. Abigail accuses many of the women in Salem, including Elizabeth, of being seen with the devil. Once Elizabeth is accused and imprisoned, John Proctor tries to defend her innocence.
     In the third act, John Proctor and his servant, Mary Warren, come to the court for the sake of Elizabeth. Mary states that she lied previously about seeing the devil and has come to help prove Elizabeth as not guilty. Once the judge calls in Abigail and the group of girls enter the court, they have already premeditated that they weren't going to confess to their fraud and cause problems for Proctor. Mary goes insane after the girls' act, and then sides back with them. Proctor is then found guilty and put in prison.
     The concluding fourth act reveals Proctor's decision against witchcraft. He admits to the crime of witchcraft, although he does not agree or believe in it at all, so he could live. In the end, however, he could not sign his name to the confession papers. Thus, the judge has no choice but to send him to his death by hanging. John Proctor ended up dying for the sake of injustice, even though he was not involved in witchcraft. Elizabeth does not stop him from his destiny, and the play ends with her saying, "He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him" (Miller 145).

Definition of "Crucible"

The definition of crucible is "A severe test, as of patience or belief; a trial" (dictionary.reference.com). This applies to the book because the main act (act III) is when the trial involving John Proctor occurs. Along with all of the other members of the town that were put on trial, he was accused of being involved with witchcraft. His beliefs kept him at this point from going insane. This trial brought him to being imprisoned for months. Not only during the trial, but afterward, John himself was put to the test of sanity where he died for something he didn't do. He refused to sign his name to the papers naming his guilt to witchcraft. This trial of his sanity, however, brought him to his death by hanging.

Works Cited of "The Crucible" posts

Works Cited

"Crucible Define Crucible at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com Find the
       Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 17
       Mar. 2010. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crucible.
Danzer, Gerald A. The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st
       Century. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2005. Print.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: a Play in Four Acts. New York: Penguin,
       1976. Print.
"Puritanism." IWS.CCCCD.EDU - Faculty Web Site Directory. Web.
       18 Mar. 2010. http//iws.ccccd.edu/mizell/2327/Puritanism.htm.
Roskelly, Hephzibah, and David A. Jolliffe. Everyday Use: Rhetoric at
       Work in Reading and Writing. New York: Pearson Longman,
       2009. Print.

Character Development

Abigail Williams- Abigail was a strong and cunning character throughout the entire book, which can be read by her deceitful language beginning in the first act. Arthur Miller taps into people's memory of what they know of Salem Trials so that they can understand the crime that she committed was thought of as serious witchcraft in the eyes of the townspeople. She was able to deliver her standpoint efficiently without getting caught for her lies. Because she had people back her up, her inventions were more noticed and her intentions resembled metonymy. When John Proctor refused to be with her after the affair, and whenever she is around him alone, she seems more shy and cautious, thus using interrupting schemes.
Mary Warren- Arthur Miller begins Mary's entrance as a fearful and naive character, shown by her repetitive style. She tends to use simple sentences due to her naivity. The breaks in her sentence, especially when she cracks at the trial, resemble different parenthesis and the occasional asyndeton. Her general scheme seems to remain like this in the book. Although she is less complex than other characters, she demonstrates her childlike nature through the way she acts around the Proctor family and when she was in the trial. Her emotions led her to the end of her sanity, letting Abigail and her friends' delivery take over.

Both girls spoke the slang from the 17th century with Latinate diction.