7.) What happens when John Hale interrogates Tituba? How does the scene’s atmosphere become
hysterical?
When John Hale interrogates Tituba, she becomes frantic and starts to say the devil wants her,
but she says no every time. Also, Abigail begins to blame people in the town for bad things.
Another thing that happens is that Betty Parris and Tituba begin to blame townspeople of
doing bad things.
The scene becomes hysterical because of Tituba, Abigail, and Betty’s fear of being
whipped/killed for the things they did in the forest, which soon turns into shouting and crying
about townspeople doing bad things instead of them taking responsibility.
8.) Miller colors the play with dialect, or specific regional speech. Pick out some examples of dialect
in this act.
Miller uses regional speech, especially with Tituba, to show how Tituba is an outsider, and he
colors her to be uneducated. One example is from Act I, line 910 “No, no, chicken blood. I give
she chicken blood.” Another example from Act I is line 925 where Tituba says “You beg me to
conjure! She beg me make charm –”
9.) One of Miller's major subjects in the play is the nature of authority. How are each of the
following characters linked with the idea of authority in Act One?
a. Samuel Parris – Samuel Parris is linked with authority because he is the town minister,
and within the Puritan community, the church was the law. Parris is the one who leads
the town morally and lawfully.
b. Thomas Putnam – Thomas Putnam is linked with authority because he is a wealthy
land owner and land was equal to power.
c.
Rebecca Nurse – Rebecca Nurse is lined with authority because she was the eldest
person in town, and you respected your elders no matter what.
10.) How would you describe the atmosphere or mood at the end of this act? What might this
atmosphere foreshadow about future events in the town of Salem?
The mood at the end of this act was a chaotic, hysterical mood. People where shouting out
random names and declaring things happened because others in the room were declaring they
happened.
This foreshadows that maybe the rest of the play the town will continue in this state of hysteria,
where logic and common sense are thrown out the window and people just jump on the
bandwagon when it comes to accusing others of witchcraft.
DEFINING HYSTERIA AND EXAMINING HOW IT RELATES TO THE CRUCIBLE
DIRECTIONS. Consider the word “hysteria” and other words and phrases associated with it. Then, look
up the actual definition for the word and determine which relates most effectively to The Crucible.
Brainstorm some examples of “hysteria” from our culture or society. Finally, explain how the word
“hysteria” relates to The Crucible. Write all of your answers in the spaces provided.
DEFINITION
EXAMPLES
BEHAVIOR THAT IS
OVERWHELMING,
USUALLY FEAR.
HISTORY – NAZI’S IN
HYSTERIA
ASSOCIATED
WORDS
GERMANY
PRESENT DAY –
TEENAGE GIRLS AT A
BOY BAND CONCERT
THE CRUCIBLE –
TITUBA
CRYING/LYING/BLAMI
NG RANDOM PEOPLE;
THE RUSHED SPEECH
OF THE GIRLS AND
TITUBA; ABIGAIL AND
BETTY BLAMING
RANDOM PEOPLE
CHAOTIC
DRAMATIC
PARANOIA
FRIGHTENED
PANIC
SYNTHESIZE
How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use specific examples from the text to justify
your response.
Come to the classroom before or after school, or during upperclassman lunch to use the
book to quickly write down some evidence, or ask a peer to help.