Act II Study Guide Question Key
1. Where does Elizabeth want John to go, and what does she want him to do there?
Elizabeth wants John to go to Salem to tell the authorities that the girls are not telling the truth.
2. What is John’s response to her prodding (to incite into action)?
He is reluctant to go. He understands that he probably should go, but he does not want to get
personally involved with the activity.
3. What gift did Mary give Elizabeth?
Mary gave Elizabeth a “poppet” (doll) she had made while sitting in court.
4. What was the “evidence” against Sarah Good?
She confessed to witchcraft. The girls said she nearly choked them to death (and they acted so)
in court. She mumbled when after begging for cider and bread, she had been turned away.
She could not recite the commandments in court.
5. Why doesn’t Proctor want Mary to go back to court?
If she goes back, that makes him further involved. Also, he believes that the accusations are
false and the girls are frauds. It isn’t a just court in Proctor’s eyes.
6. Why does Elizabeth think Abigail wants to kill her?
Elizabeth knows of John’s affair with Abby. She believes that Abby wants to take her place as
John’s wife.
7. Why did Hale come to Proctor’s house?
Hale came out to question all accused persons for himself, so that he would have some
knowledge of the people before they appeared in court or jail. He came to Proctor’s house to
question them to see if either of them had any suspicious activities which would relate to
witchcraft.
8. What things are “suspicious” about Proctor and his family?
o Proctor does not go to church regularly. His youngest son has not been baptized. He does not
have total faith in Parris, the minister. It takes both Parris and Elizabeth to remember all of the
commandments. (He significantly forgot adultery).
9. Hale asks Elizabeth if she believes in witches. What is her reply?
o If she is accused of being a witch, she cannot believe in witches. However, if the Bible says that
witches exist, she cannot dispute the Bible.
10. On what charge(s) was Rebecca Nurse arrested?
o She was arrested for the “marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnam’s babies.”
11. Why does Cheever come to Proctor’s house?
o Cheever comes to arrest Elizabeth
12. Explain the significance of the needle in the “poppet”.
o Abigail had accused Elizabeth of sticking a needle in her (Abby’s) stomach through the use of a
“poppet” (doll). Cheever asked to see the doll that was in Elizabeth’s house (the one that Mary
had given her). When he looked under the dress, there was a needle stuck in the abdomen of
the doll. On the basis of this evidence, Cheever determined that witchcraft was possible and
did, in fact, take Elizabeth to prison.
13. What will happen to Proctor if he tries to discredit Abigail?
o She will tell that they had an affair, she will discredit his name by calling him a lecher.
14. Why doesn’t Mary want to testify about the doll?
o She doesn’t want to testify because she is afraid of Abigail. She knows Abigail will “get her” if
she goes against her.