The Crucible Master - Chapter Summaries PDF

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Literature Choice I have chosen to read “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller due to the fact that I greatly enjoyed his other play, “Death of a Salesman.” Using historical fiction as an aid, Miller used his plays to criticize the world around him, such as the rise of McCarthyism in the United States during the 1950s. In fact, his criticism of “witch hunts” in The Crucible is believed to have placed him under the House Un-American Activities Committee’s scrutiny. His refusal to comply with their demands placed him in contempt but stayed within the message of his book: “the paranoid, real or pretended, always secretes its pearl around a grain of fact.” By giving names, he would have provided credence to a movement he strongly disagreed with. Act I Response After being rendered mute and bedridden by a mysterious illness, 10-year-old Betty Parris's father, Reverend Samuel Parris questions Abigail. This is thanks in part to the circulating rumors of witchcraft and his own witness of Abigail and Betty dancing with the slave, Tituba, the night before. Regardless, Abigail claims that the girls were just dancing last night in the woods and it had nothing to do with witchcraft. However, the coincidence of Ruth's daughter, who also was in the woods, contracted a similar illness, which leads the townsfolk to further suspect witchcraft. Consequently, the girls then realize their predicament and try to get their story straight. As they do this, though, carolers in the hallway voice the Lord's name, which causes Betty to whimper. Those who have been singing outside the room now rush in, all the while believing this to be additional evidence of witchcraft. Reverend Hale, an intellectual church leader, then soon arrives from the town of Beverly to investigate the situation after being summoned by Reverend Hale earlier in the play. Irony and hypocrisy are continually found throughout the Crucible, especially within Act I. Abigail claims that John Proctor opened her eyes to the pretenses of Salem, by realizing the deception being told by people who supposedly adhered to conventions of respectable society. However, after being scorned by Proctor, she creates her own falsehood, which allows her to have increased control over the society she resents. In short, by putting on a false front to advance her status, she becomes the hypocrite that she so despises. However, the dramatic irony with the most prominence lies with Reverend Hale. In which, the Reverend claims that they must avoid superstition and hasty conclusions regarding Betty's illness. However, searching for "the Devil's Marks" is a superstitious practice in and of itself. Regardless, he somehow convinces himself that scientific inquiry can uncover the supernatural. Act II Response Taking place eight days after the scenes of Act I, Elizabeth and John Proctor discuss his affair with Abigail and the trials in Salem. Both of them realize that things are getting out of hand thanks to Abigail's own set of hysterical confessions that followed Tituba's. As such, Elizabeth instructs John that he needs to go to Salem to inform the court that Abigail is lying. However, it is too late, Elizabeth has already been accused by Abigail as a strange attempt to replace her as John's wife.

Although John initially seems to sway the court, especially Reverend Hale, into believing that the accusers are frauds, this is soon undermined by the finding of a doll. This ends up matching up with the "attack" on Abigail allegedly perpetrated by Elizabeth's spirit. John does end up getting Mary to tell the truth about the doll, but it fails to convince the authorities. Knowing that she herself may be accused by Abigail, Mary insists that she cannot testify further, even though John is adamant that Elizabeth cannot die for his mistakes with Abigail. All in all, Act II is where the full extent of the hysteria in Salem becomes apparent. Instead of relying on concrete evidence or even logical objections to the proceedings, the court has relied almost entirely on confessions. Of which, these confessions have almost entirely been coerced by the court through their insistence that failure to confess paints the accused as guilty. Thus, the court is basically a show of entertainment where anything that plays on suspense and drama has enraptured the hearts and minds of said court. In fact, any substantiation of claims or confessions is taken wholeheartedly as proof of witchcraft. The fear of witchcraft begets more fear, which ends up creating an endless cycle of hysteria. Evidently, people have mistakenly put their trust in people to be honest. Act III Response After finally seeing the light, 91 people sign a petition vouching for the good character of Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey--three of the alleged witches. However, it is of little consequence. Judge Danforth instead issues warrants drawn up for all the people who signed the petition. Giles Corey even goes one step further and testifies that Thomas Putnam encouraged his daughter, Ruth Putnam, to make accusations against George Jacobs so Putnam could snatch up Jacobs' land. However, his refusal to give up his source only places in him in contempt of court. Nothing seems to be able to stop the hysteria that is taking over the town of Salem. In fact, even after receiving Mary Warren's written statement where she admits that the girls were lying, she is discredited by an accused liar: Abigail. Realizing that Abigail is controlling the court, John Proctor tries to discredit her by admitting to the affair and calling her a whore. This too is of little consequence. Abigail then claims to see Mary's familiar, which forces her to break down under the pressure and claim John forced her to work for the devil. This irrationality by the court does end up serving one purpose though: Reverend Hale quits the court in disgust. In a town that so highly regards reputation, John Proctor essentially risks and loses everything by admitting to the affair. However, trying to discredit Abigail failed and he was arrested instead. This misplaced regard for reputation goes hand-in-hand with the power and authority that the townspeople, especially the judges, hold dearly. Judges Danforth and Hathorne refusing to hear Giles Corey's evidence because he didn’t present it through proper channels plays to this fact. Evidently, appearances are everything. Mary's inability to faint on queue for the second time discredits her second testimony, but not the first. As long as things point to witchcraft,

testimonies, confessions, and evidence are accepted. However, when it is deemed disruptive or having vindication, it is treated with suspicion. As such, it seems that the people in positions of power have no ability to see things from another perspective because their focus is so concentrated on maintaining their authority. The court gives them that authority, so ending the trials, however logical, would only end that authority. Act IV Response Reverend Hale, being kind and saintly, realizes he cannot leave Salem to its own devices. As such, he returns to persuade the holdout prisoners to confess and save themselves from the gallows. However, realizing it is futile, he begs the judges to pardon and release the prisoners. Danforth refuses because it will cast doubt on the guilt of the seven remaining prisoners, as well as the 12 which have already hanged. Hale warns that the officials are courting rebellion. Regardless, Hale continues in his attempt to get at least John Proctor to confess, even asking Elizabeth to help. In her pleas, Elizabeth relates to John that Giles never pleaded guilty to the charges yet was murdered anyway. He then relays back to her that he is not holding out because of religious conviction, but rather that he does it to spite his persecutors in an attempt to make them feel the weight of the guilt for murdering innocence. Eventually, he relents. However, after seeing Rebecca, he hesitates, signs, and then tears it in two. In the end, he sticks with his convictions, and is hanged for it. Once again, unrelenting power and authority refuses to show mercy or understanding in the town of Salem for sake of power and authority. While at first Abby seems to be motivated by her love for John and her hope to become his wife, she does nothing to save his life when he is accused of witchcraft by Mary Warren. In fact, she isn’t motivated by love at all, but instead is motivated by revenge and self-preservation as evidenced by her running away at the nearest sign of trouble. On the other hand, Elizabeth Proctor holds firm to her integrity and virtue by never pleading guilty to save her life. Ultimately, she is motivated by her motherly love for her children. In the end, John Proctor shows the same sense of conviction by refusing to admit to a crime he didn't commit or providing testimony against others. Conversely, those complicit in the murder of innocence, especially the judges, refused to admit any wrongdoing. Clearly, the most important issue for the officials of the court is the preservation of their reputations and the so-called integrity of the court. Although, even with this justification, it is somewhat surprising. Andover, the next town over, just had an uprising because of the witch trials that took place there. Yet, the Salem judges do not seemed too concerned about any retribution or riots....