What is analysis?

Analysis asks you to demonstrate how you know something and why something is important.
Analysis requires you, the writer, to break down a large idea into smaller parts and support your
findings with evidence from the story.

Final Draft, shared on Google Docs - 100 points (due 11/18)

Rough Draft - 25 points (due 11/11)

Peer Evaluation - 15 points (due 11/14)

Pre-Writing: Prompt with notes - 10 points (due 11/2)

Prompts (Choose one)

1) Consider some of the authority figures in the play – Danforth, Parris, and Proctor. What traits,
events, or characters motivate their attitudes and responses toward the witch trials? How do
their views in regards to law and order differ from one another? Additionally, what can be
said about Kohlberg’s moral stages and Miller’s message on law and order and how does
the conflict between these central characters reflect the title of the drama?
2) Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute or lead to
tragedy. Discuss whether Reverend Hale or John Proctor is the central tragic character in the
play. What are their strengths or qualities that lead to their downfalls. How does the central
tragic character transform and how is the change related to the play’s title. How do outside
forces contribute to character flaws and eventual downfall?
3) How are themes like greed, scapegoating, hunger for authority or power, and integrity or any
of a number of others functional in the drama? Choose a single character and discuss how
this person embodies one of the themes above. How is Miller’s underlying message revealed
in one of these themes and through the character? What would happen if you universalize
the issues and try to relate them to another place or time? For instance, how is scapegoating
different or similar in today’s world than it was in the play?
4) What roles do women play in the drama? What is Miller’s treatment of women and what
message is he trying to convey? What images or female archetypes are expressed through
characters like Mary Warren, Elizabeth and Abigail? How does Kohlberg’s moral stages play
into the view we have of each of these women as well as how the view contrasts with other
characters in the play?
5) Is Abigail a victim of the society she lives in or can her actions and reactions be attributed to
her characteristics or personal traits? Do you think here actions can be pardoned or excused
because of outside forces within the drama? Look at the events from her past and present
and try making a connection between her behavior and these events. Is Miller’s treatment of
women a fair characterization of women from this era?

#5

I do not think Abigail is a victim of society. Her actions are understandable however the
motivation of her actions all lead up to her getting revenge of John Proctor. As far as i can tell,
Abigail is very oriented around John Proctor. She tells lies, and manipulates her “friends and causes
a lot of damage to the town. These are characteristics of a mole/rat. She works on the inside out,
chewing away at people and causes a lot of damage to the house. Even though her actions are
understandable of what happened to her in the past and what she has experienced. Abigail is the
low but not the lowest on the Salem caste. She might of been an orphan but I do not think she
should be pardoned, she gets 13 innocent people hanged! Her opportunity to accuse her enemies of
devil worship is high risk (her execution) and high reward (her moving up the caste). I think Miller’s
treatment of women is accurate in the time period. He portrays women as supporting characters that
have power. Everything revolves around women.