The Crucible
Sample IOC Outline
I.
II.
III.
Intro
a. Background info……
b. CONTEXT of the passage
c. Your central agument…
Body –
a. Quote 1:
i. Analysis….
b. Quote 2:
i. Analysis….
c. Quote 3:
i. Analysis….
d. Quote 4:
i. Analysis….
e. Quote 5:
i. Analysis….
f. Quote 6:
i. Analysis….
Conclusion –
a. sum up your point of view
The Crucible
Sample IOC Outline
IV.
V.
Intro
a. Arthur Miller’s the Crucible written in 1952 is a play about religious
and personal tensions. The play reaches its climax when almost all of
the main characters begin to be accused of speaking with , seeing,
relating to the DEVIL in some way
b. Through the Rev. Hale and townsmen, John Proctor, the tensions that
lead to mass hysteria in this 17th century New England town of
orthodox Puritans are developed
Body – Internal, Spiritual, and Guilty TENSIONS
a. Religious/ Spiritual – GUILT – sense of duty to the church
i. Proctor – “you cannot think we ever desired the detruction of
relgion” - “I nailed the roof on the church door” – physical
evidence of his dedication
ii. “sure we never loved the devil here” – eternal and epic source
of biblical tension developed…
iii. “I am a coveted Christian woman”
1. characters appeal to a higher power
VI.
VII.
2. tension with God developed
b. Image of HALE
i. Unnerving interrogator
ii. Religious orthodoxy
iii. “secret test” – conveys his authority
c. Internal
i. Personal GUILT
ii. “looking off, beginning to sweat” Proctor’s actions show his
guilt
iii. “ as though a secret arrow had painted his heart” – He realizes
the Irony in his argument
d. The image of John
i. As the suffering witness being interrogated, his nervousness
his guilt is felt by the audience because of his actions.
e. Image of Elizabeth
i. Suffering wife – correcting her husband – aware of his faults
but still commited to their safety
ii. “delicately” administering advice to her husband
Hale’s metaphor develops the image of the church in the last line – “no
crack in a fortress may be accounted small” – his final metaphor
emphasizes his black and while view of religion and his closed mindset
that drives the hysteria and main conflicts in the play..
Conclusion –
a. Tension is developed in several ways throughout the passasge,
highlighting Proctor’s essential Irony of his guilt and his adultery with
Abigail and driving towards the climax of the play and the conclusion
when he is eventually hung in the gallows
MY NOTES:
PassageAct Two
Sources of tension:
Religious – Hale drives the central religious tensions, as he is the one questioning
the Proctors
suspecting everyone of witchcraft – that’s his job…
Challenges Proctor – to recite the 10 com.
Internal
Stage directions used as well
10 commandments
Proctors questioning with Hale, wife, Eliz. Present as well –acused of loving the
DEVIL
Hale,
Proctor – Ironically forgets adultery, the one he commits with Abigail – wife reminds
him
Proctor’s character – defined “I nailed the roof upon the church… in line one – he is
more of a physical than emotional character - they ARE guilty of church sins, but
are they reallyt GUILTY in the play – no – the paor usually searches for truth and
tries to calm the hysteria. – but Proctors non-intellectual side shown b/c he cant
remember all the comm.
Heightened tension – tense mood – “a trifle unsteady” “beginning to sweat “ î
GETTING nervous
Outline includes Intro.,
body, and conclusion
and 6-8 quotes from
the passage with
suffucent analysis
25-30 points