The Crucible- Conflict & Resolution Essay

The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is a movie that focuses on the conflict and resolution that occurred during the Salem witch trials during 17th century Puritan New England. After a group of young girls are found dancing and chanting during the night in the middle of the woods, strange things begin to happen within the small town. Conflict arises when Reverend Parris, the local minister, discovers the girls in the forest being led by a black slave named Tituba. Two girls out of the group, including Reverend Parris’s daughter, Betty, fall into a coma-like state after they have been caught in the forest. This causes the town to start to question if witchcraft plays a factor in their sicknesses. Reverend Parris’s niece, Abigail, who is the main character of the story, denies that anything more than dancing happened in the woods, and threatens the girls that were involved to be silent about the situation. As concern arises, Reverend Hale, a minister from out of town, known for his experience in being able to diagnose witchcraft, comes into Salem to examine the girls who are sick. Hale is soon is able to construct an argument regarding the girls’ intentions on that night in question in the forest. The young girls are then accused of conjuring spirits, and to take the focus off of them, Abigail leads them into acting as if they can see spirits. The girls, afraid of consequences that they will have to face, then start to accuse many townspeople of witchcraft, which starts the Salem witch trials. In The Crucible, conflict is explored in different ways. Although there is much conflict within these characters themselves, one that is emphasized during the story is between Abigail and John Proctor, a farmer who has had an affair with Abigail in the past. Abigail still has feelings for Proctor, despite the fact that he has told her their relationship is over, and she brings accusations against Proctor’s wife, Goody, in hopes of the getting back together with