The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Study guide

Cast of Characters: For each of the following characters, write a brief description of
them including personality traits, what their relationship is to other characters, important
events they are involved in and anything else you feel is significant about them.

Reverend Parris- Father of Betty; widower who regards children as young adults .Once his
daughter is found dancing, he becomes worried about his repretation since he is the
reverend of the town.

Betty Parris- Age ten suffers from suspicious illness. Betty is pressured by Abigail to lie in
behalf of their survival.

Tituba- Tituba is Parris’s slave from Barbados. She is accused of conjuring the spirit of
Mrs. Putnam’s child Ruth and calling apon the devil. She claims she is a good Christian
woman and loves children

Abigail Williams- She is a feisty and manipulative 17 year old orphan. Her parents were
killed by Indians. She hopes to have the Goody proctor killed in order to take her place.
She has complete control of the fate of the people in her group and uses this power to get
people accused. In the end she runs away with Mary Warren.

Susanna Walcott- Susanna is a young, naïve, and nervous girl. She comes in behalf of the
doctor to Parris that a cure can not be found. She is apart of Abigail’ clan

Mrs. Ann Putnam- Goody Putnam is a middle age woman cursed with the lost of seven
deaths of children after one day of their life. She sent her child to Tituba, to have her spirit
conjured.

Thomas Putnam- Thomas has vengeance against Parris; at all opportunities he tries to make
Parris seem unfit to be head reverend. His daughter is also displaying weird qualities.

Mercy Lewis – Mr. and Mrs. Putnam’s slave / maid. She runs away with Abigail at the end
of the book.

Mary Warren – John Proctor’s maid. She becomes very strong-minded with the authority
of official of the court. She gave Goody Proctor the poppet that caused her to be charged.
Proctor talked Mary into stopping the lies and telling the truth, at first she stood strong.
After Abigail and her friend scene she weeps and run to Abigail denying her statements

AP Language & Composition│ A. Degenhardt, 2010

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John Proctor – He has high authority. Proctor carries to toll of having an affair on his
conscience. Held with guilt that his wife may be killed because of him and his affair he
works to clear her name. At the end he realizes that he will not disgrace his name for
something he does not do and is hung to death.

Rebecca Nurse – She is a calm spirited woman, and very caring towards children. She
resorts to god for her problems, and wants nothing to do with the witch craft. She believe
she is to old for it. In the end she stays strong and refuses to confess to something she
didn’t do. She is hung to death.

Giles Corey –He is a farmer; curious on the matter of witch craft because he wife reads
strange books. His wife is charged with witch craft on pigs. He dies by being stoned to
death for not calling names.

Reverend John Hale - Has great knowledge when it comes to witchcraft. He seeks the truth
in the mater of the accusation. Once he realizes this whole issue, is undercover vengeance
he leaves. When he comes back he wants any sort of justice possible. Had complete trust in
the court until, he entered the court.

Elizabeth Proctor – She is John’s wife. She is not very stern; she lets Mary Warren leave
after being forbidden. Elizabeth is not a trusting woman, but comes to the realization that
she should have been a better wife. She is excuse from her punishment because she was
pregnant.

Francis Nurse – Francis is well respected and caring individual .He constantly worries
about the well being of others. In the situation of the names, he felts as thought he betrayed
them. His wife is charge with killing Mrs. Putnam’s Children.

Ezekiel Cheever – Ezekiel is the clerk of the court, rounds up all the accused. Cheever
writes down the testimonies.

Marshal Herrick – Marshal is very stern. He accompanies Ezekiel, when he comes to get
Goody proctor. His role is as a Body guard, because he stops Proctor from calling Abby a
whore.

Judge Hathorne – The judge over the case of witchcraft. He is under the Deputy Governor
Danforth.

Deputy Governor Danforth – He is very official, and desires complete written documents
for court. He is the head of court and is terrified by the witch craft.

Hopkins – Hopkins is a guard.

AP Language & Composition│ A. Degenhardt, 2010

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Literary Examples: Describe an example in the text in which the following literary
Terms are demonstrated.

Allegory
The Allegory is the factor that Proctor confesses to a lie. It shows how McCarthyism is the
central problem, and how a lie for the sake of freedom is bad.

Tone
During the court scene and the ending scene the tone of urgency and angst are shown very
well through dialogue and stage direction.

Irony
There are many ironic situation is the play. The fact that one must confesses to a lie in
order to live, show the irony that no one can come out of this situation pure and innocent.
The conversation between Abigail and the other girls about how they must keep the same
story is ironic. That whole conversation confesses the cause of all the confusion and yet no
other character realizes it.

Conflict
The biggest conflict is the discussion weather to keep their integrity and not confess to a
false charge resulting in death or confessing even though innocent. Rebecca chose to accept
her death, while Proctor has a harder time. Another conflict is the when Francis felt
conflicted of weather to not give the names and save his wife. He felt as though he betrayed
those people in sake of his wife.

Foreshadowing
When Mary Warren gave Goody Proctor the poppet it foreshadows that she would get in
trouble because of the doll. Mary Warren is under the influence of Abby, of course there is
something sneaky going on.

Theme
Proctor: “No it is not the same! What others say and what I sign to is not the same,” This
defines the theme, because in the story the difference between hard evidence and her say
cause the death of many.

AP Language & Composition│ A. Degenhardt, 2010

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Opening Paragraph/Thesis Statement: Below are analysis questions that represent
short essays. For each question write the opening paragraph of the paper using a piece of
evidence from the text as support. This paragraph sets the tone and argument for the
remainder of the paper. Your thesis statement should only be one to two sentences long
and should clearly outline the argument.

In Act One, Miller states in regards to the witch trials: “Old scores could be settled on a
plane of heavenly combat between Lucifer and the Lord” (Miller, 7). Explain what is
meant by this statement. Describe an act or event in the book that supports your claim.

Small, God oriented towns like Salem are bound by the battle between God and
Satan. The theme of the Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” is described through his quote
“Old scores could be settled on the plane of heavenly combat between Lucifer and The
Lord”. With the introduction of Lucifer into the world of Salem, confusion and frustration
became a key part of the lives of all its citizens. Multiple citizens used this time of
confusion to settle secret vengeance. Abigail caused the war between good and evil to not
only gain power but dance on the grave of Goody Proctor.

During the play there are individual characters that use the trials to increase their power
within the community. Describe two characters that become empowered, how they
become empowered, and how it affects the characters around them.

At the time of the Salem which trails, during the powerless state of the town,
certain individuals hunted further power in the community. It was obvious that with the
dynamic change in circumstances, that control was given to Abigail and for a short time
Mary Warren. The authority they both gained made others fall under their command.
Abigail had the power to accuse anyone she pleased, while Mary had control over the fate
of the Proctor family. These increased levels of power, left all other individuals powerless
and without control.

AP Language & Composition│ A. Degenhardt, 2010

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In this play, Salem is run by a theocracy: state and religion as one. Describe the differing
views of justice between Governor Danforth, Reverend Parris, and John Proctor. Use
scenes found in the text to support each characters view.

Justice can be viewed in many different manners. Some believe justice can only be
obtained when it is in their favor. Others truly seek and want what is right. In the case of
the crucible the three characters Governor Danforth, Reverend Parris, and John Proctor
maintained different views of justice. Reverend Parris strived for justice for him self and in
sake of his repretation. John Proctor wanted justice for everyone else. While Governor
Danforth wanted what he though was justice but was just Abigail’s diluted lies.

Personal Response: Human nature is the inherent characteristics that define humans
including the way in which we act, think or feel. Although The Crucible tells the story of
the Salem Witch Trials it is also a parable about the McCarthy investigations. Describe in
detail what you have learned about human nature and the affects of society on the
individual through reading this novel and reading about McCarthyism. Use textual
evidence to support your response.

Human nature is to panic at the first sign of distress or pain. Investigating the cause
before reacting is not wired in mankind’s DNA. This characteristic has been seen through
out history in the Salem Witch Trails, numerous other court cases and during segregation.
Many take this issue as a mere born instinct. Through my studies of The Crucible and
McCarthyism, I have come to the realization that this act of human nature can have serious
effects on our view of individuals, their safety and the meaning of justice.