The Crucible Theme(S) Analysis
Jamie Davis
Professor Forest
English 2030- 81
12/ 02/ 2011
Hysteria and Suffering
Jumping to conclusions, bad assumptions, and false information can cause much hysteria within a society. This can be surely bad if you are dealing with people who are hypochondriacs. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller displays how hysteria is used to cover the truth, but can cause suffering for many of those who are innocent. The play strongly illustrates the hysteria that brushed through Salem because of the fear that Satan had haunted the town. When you have an entire society in an uproar it is usually because of false information being spread and people who are just reacting without thinking about what could possibly be happening. There are some people who do think through situations and they are usually the ones who help put the pieces back together. They are also the ones who can sometimes suffer when problems arise. Hysteria and overreacting can rip a community apart especially when searching for the truth; therefore people must deeply analyze certain situations and use their better judgment to resolve them.
In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, hysteria is one of the main themes. It is considered one of the main themes because it comes up often and often becomes the atmosphere of the play and the motivation of many of the character’s actions. Hysteria seems to be the central attitude or atmosphere of the play, once you get into it. Just to mention that the entire play represents a panic-stricken frame of mind. I think that Miller used hysteria as one of his main themes because he wanted to show how false information and bad judgment can cause large scale social and psychological consequences, when it at all possible can be avoided. Miller's play displays these historical events to criticize the moments in humankind's history when reason and fact became clouded by irrational fears and the desire to place the blame for society's problems on others. Dealing with elements such
Professor Forest
English 2030- 81
12/ 02/ 2011
Hysteria and Suffering
Jumping to conclusions, bad assumptions, and false information can cause much hysteria within a society. This can be surely bad if you are dealing with people who are hypochondriacs. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller displays how hysteria is used to cover the truth, but can cause suffering for many of those who are innocent. The play strongly illustrates the hysteria that brushed through Salem because of the fear that Satan had haunted the town. When you have an entire society in an uproar it is usually because of false information being spread and people who are just reacting without thinking about what could possibly be happening. There are some people who do think through situations and they are usually the ones who help put the pieces back together. They are also the ones who can sometimes suffer when problems arise. Hysteria and overreacting can rip a community apart especially when searching for the truth; therefore people must deeply analyze certain situations and use their better judgment to resolve them.
In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, hysteria is one of the main themes. It is considered one of the main themes because it comes up often and often becomes the atmosphere of the play and the motivation of many of the character’s actions. Hysteria seems to be the central attitude or atmosphere of the play, once you get into it. Just to mention that the entire play represents a panic-stricken frame of mind. I think that Miller used hysteria as one of his main themes because he wanted to show how false information and bad judgment can cause large scale social and psychological consequences, when it at all possible can be avoided. Miller's play displays these historical events to criticize the moments in humankind's history when reason and fact became clouded by irrational fears and the desire to place the blame for society's problems on others. Dealing with elements such
Cited: Atkinson, Brooks. “Review of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller,” The New York Times. July 2, 1953. The Crucible. Videocassette. Twentieth Century Fox , 1996. Lorcher, Trent. Symbolism in the Crucible. Oct. 18, 2009 Bright Hub. Dec. 2, 2011 <http://www.brighthub.com/education/homework-tips/articles/52748.aspx>. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible (Penguin Classics). London: Penguin Classics, 2003 Oakes, James. "Chapter Four." Of the People: a History of the United States. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. 107+. Print. .