Analytical Journal the Crucible
Claiborne Myers
2/19/13
Analytical journal
While dancing in the forest, a group of girls go dancing with a slave. The local minister catches the girls. As one of the girls fall into a coma like state, rumors begin to circulate in town. Doubt, questioning, and rumors of witchcraft fill the air in the small Salem town. Throughout the story, the author uses hysteria to evoke chaos, doubt of one’s neighbor to create fear in the townspeople. When the minister’s daughter falls into a coma, it cannot be explained. “the town’s mumbling witchcraft,” this quote is just the beginning. Arthur Miller knows human nature creates its own stories for the unexplainable. In The Crucible, neighbors accuse people that they have known their entire life of practicing witchcraft. They turn on one another and begin to break apart the community. The town of Salem falls into mass hysteria, fear overwhelms decision-making and thought processing. Fear often leads to more fear in people. In order to try and explain the fear, the townspeople begin to believe in it. In The Crucible, hysterical fear becomes an unknowing method of expressing the bitterness suppressed by strict Puritan society. The townspeople believe that the devil is attacking Salem. “Did you consult the wardens before you called this minister to look for devils?” This quote supports the hysterical fear that the people are facing. It is supporting evidence that the community had democratic principles for some community decisions, but this one has not been discussed and the hysteria is being encouraged by the powers that be (Parris) without reason. Hysteria continues throughout the novel, the people of Salem use religion to prove that they are not practicing witchcraft or a devil worshipper. The Crucible shows how religion fuels the hysteria and fear in Salem, overriding reason and justice for all.
2/19/13
Analytical journal
While dancing in the forest, a group of girls go dancing with a slave. The local minister catches the girls. As one of the girls fall into a coma like state, rumors begin to circulate in town. Doubt, questioning, and rumors of witchcraft fill the air in the small Salem town. Throughout the story, the author uses hysteria to evoke chaos, doubt of one’s neighbor to create fear in the townspeople. When the minister’s daughter falls into a coma, it cannot be explained. “the town’s mumbling witchcraft,” this quote is just the beginning. Arthur Miller knows human nature creates its own stories for the unexplainable. In The Crucible, neighbors accuse people that they have known their entire life of practicing witchcraft. They turn on one another and begin to break apart the community. The town of Salem falls into mass hysteria, fear overwhelms decision-making and thought processing. Fear often leads to more fear in people. In order to try and explain the fear, the townspeople begin to believe in it. In The Crucible, hysterical fear becomes an unknowing method of expressing the bitterness suppressed by strict Puritan society. The townspeople believe that the devil is attacking Salem. “Did you consult the wardens before you called this minister to look for devils?” This quote supports the hysterical fear that the people are facing. It is supporting evidence that the community had democratic principles for some community decisions, but this one has not been discussed and the hysteria is being encouraged by the powers that be (Parris) without reason. Hysteria continues throughout the novel, the people of Salem use religion to prove that they are not practicing witchcraft or a devil worshipper. The Crucible shows how religion fuels the hysteria and fear in Salem, overriding reason and justice for all.