The Cruicible/ Most Interesting Character

I honestly love reading about the period of time when there were witch trial occurances.  I find it interesting that a society such as the puritans were so horrfied at the idea of someone being a "witch" that they would do the extreme as to hanging them.  Further more, how it was a sin to lie in the society, yet I wouldn't put it past me that most of the people accused, lied to get them out of that situation.  However, it was the only way to get them from being hanged of something that you may or may not be and have no way of proving otherwise.  In saying this I think the most interesting character was Abigal.  She was most dynamic character from being accused of practicing witch craft, to being the innocent victim, to fleeing Salem.  Abigail causes the most problems in the book, especially for Proctor John, and at the end of the book she flees because she codemmed the one person she loved to hang. 

Karen's Input on Dyanna's Presentation

Through out the whole block, we have been studying transcendentalism as a class. We made connections to characters in The Scarlet Letter, like Hester, to making connections of the character of John Proctor in The Crucible. Today in Dyanna Pacheco's presentation she focused on one of the female civil rights leader, Rosa Parks. When I think of Parks, I think of a transcendentalist character not following the norms of society. She stands by her own ground, no matter the consequences. Especially being an African-American woman during the Civil Rights Movement, society imposed so many rules on to her. Whether it was from not drinking from a White person's water fountain or not speaking up about her rights just because of her gender, only caused her to not obey the rules. Just like Hester, Parks did whatever felt right at her heart. Do you agree with this connection?

Elizabeth & John

A prominent yet rocky relationship, which is a tragedy in itself. Instead of giving us a beloved couple which we can easily root for, Arthur Miller gives an estranged couple with a crumbling relationship. To me, it seemed that despite their failing marriage, John and Elizabeth deeply loved each other. I believe that is why John felt so hurt by Elizabeth's coldness to him before he cheated. That is also why I believe it was so hard for Elizabeth to forgive him. It seemed like they grew distant over time, and their pride stopped them from admitting and or stopping it. However, they were forced to face their failing relationship when John cheated. Yet even then they both pushed it off, and avoided really confronting it, and moving on. However, the witch trials forced them to face each other, and to really be honest with one another. And I believe that brought them together again. The prime example of this being John and Elizabeth's final dialogue before John was hanged. Despite not being romantic in the traditional sense, the underlying emotion was powerful. As I have stated before, to me, the only reason Elizabeth even tried to change John's mind was out of a personal desire to be with him again, to have him to herself again. Additionally, I believe the only reason John initially agreed was Elizabeth, and the thought of finally having her love him and accept him again. In short, the idea of forgetting everything else, and just thinking of each other was almost tempting enough for them to go against everything they believed in. However, they knew they couldn't live with themselves if they were that selfish, so they sacrificed their relationship to do what was right. Do you agree?  

The Power of The Individual

One person's word was the reasoning for countless executions. One person was able to turn a town on itself, and cause a movement that to this day lives in infamy. One person, was able to bypass the American judicial system, and lock away his enemies for crimes they have yet to commit. This idea of the power of the individual, is what makes The Crucible so powerful. Because, no matter how you look at the Salem witch trials, or McCarthyism/The Red Scare, it always came down to one persons word. Whether it be Abigail or McCarthy, one person was able to change, or make history, depending on how you look at it. Now you could say that in both cases it was the people that enacted these movements, it was the general public which incited revolution amongst themselves. However, Abigail and McCarthy where the catalysts, the excuse the people needed to take action on their fears. Do you blame the water for rippling when a stone is thrown into it? Or do you blame the person who threw the stone? For the water, it is only natural to ripple, to react to what has spurred its movement. But for the individual, it is deliberate. They want to see the water react, they want to cause a change. As for the stone, it is something always their, something that always has the potential to cause the water to move. However, it can not act on its own, because it is a tool. So in this rather elaborate analogy, the stone is fear. For fear is what causes people to react, what causes the water to ripple. But in a different perspective, the stone is a tool, a tool for those willing to use it, those who are willing or desiring the water to react. I guess with the elaborate analogy put aside, I am trying to say something that both the Salem witch trials, and McCarthyism demonstrate. We are all at risk of giving in to our fears, of allowing ourselves to be used. We are all looking for an excuse to attack our fears, despite what they might be, and that is what gives people like Abigail and McCarthy power over us. Because to them fear is a tool, something that can be used to incite the downfall of anyone. And I guess that is the main reason for the Salem witch trials, or McCarthyism, or any similar movement/event. These opposing perspectives on fear. It is what has caused many movements, and will continue to cause many more. And I personally believe that is something Arthur Miller focused heavily on in the Crucible.

Elizabeth vs Abigail

Elizabeth is the long-suffering wife of a man who betrayed her. She is a good wife and mother, with a strong sense of morality and virtue. She punishes her husband continuously after his transgression by withholding her warmth, love, and trust. Abigail plays the vindictive, jilted lover. She is determined to exact revenge on Proctor's wife and have the man for herself. She has no scruples, and is willing to do whatever necessary to rid herself of her rival..... even to emit the false accusations that will lead to her demise. Like Elizabeth, she is determined to punish Proctor. 

The Proctors' Fate

As we know, or more accurately can predict, John Proctor was hung for his alleged sins, leaving behind Elizabeth, his three sons, and the expected baby. Personally I would have appreciated some closure on the remaining Proctors' behalf. Did John's death, coupled by all the other hangings, result in a cease of the witch trials and spare Elizabeth? Or did the court wait for the baby's birth to hang Elizabeth? If so, what happened to the, now four, Proctor children, were they taken in by anyone or where they left to wander the roads aimlessly, mirroring the fate of many cattle? What do you believe happened?

I believe that Tituba was the most interesting character in the crucible so far because she is the roots of the witch trials, she was blamed for bringing the devil and the injury of a girl. But she was saying she had nothing to do with the devil and never knew one. Then they mention how they would kill her so she says she did know a devil but she had nothing to do with him, Then starts mentioning people that she knew that had an affiliation with the devil then Abigail and others start ratting out names as well. So the reason i believe she is interesting because she started the trials.