The Crucible
Questions,
Literary Terms,
and
Debate
What is a crucible?
What were the Salem Witch Trials?
Who were the Puritans? Why the name Puritan?
What type of government existed in Colonial New England?
What was the relationship between church and state in
Colonial New England? Today?
What is slavery?
What is witchcraft?
Literary Terms: Historical Fiction
Protagonist: usually a real person or based on a real
person, heroic, reveals plot, high
interest character
Theme: generalization about life addressing social,
political, religious, economic… issues.
Plot: revolves around a historical event, usually accurate,
reveals the history and personalities of the times
Antagonist: rival to the hero / heroine
Point of View: protagonist, third person
Voice: author’s or sometimes protagonist
How do the following play a role?
- human cruelty for righteousness
- Individual vs. Community
- Justice vs. Revenge
- Godliness vs. Worldliness
- Ignorance vs. Wisdom
- Puritan Myth
- Order vs. Individualism (freedom)
Play Structure:
- Acts and scenes
- Stage directions in italics
- Rising action and falling action
- Climax
Irony: instances in which the intended meaning of a word
or phrase used is opposite of what it actually means
Allegory: a story in which people, things, and happenings
have another meaning. (Political Allegory)
Paradox: a statement or event contrary to what one
might expect.
Act 1:
Get into small groups and using a graphic organizer,
outline, or chart create a short presentation on the
following assigned characters:
John Proctor
Reverend Hale
Reverend Parris
Mrs. Putnam
Giles Corey
The girls
Abigail, the girls, John Proctor
Your presentation will present a list of human ‘qualities’
and examples from the play supporting these ‘qualities’.
Who is the voice of reason? Provide specific examples of
how the character is the voice of reason.
You and your group members will need to identify the
themes presented in Act 1. Locate and explain where,
when, and how the themes are presented.
What are the six items in the plot diagram? Plot is
developed through conflict. Identify and explain the
conflicts that are presented in Act 1.
How are the following examples of irony?
- “I’d almost forgot how strong you are,
John Proctor!”
- “I never knew the lying lessons I was taught
by all of these Christian women and their
covenanted men!”
- “The marks of his presence are definite as stone.”
How is color used in the play? (white, black, blush)
How are the gender pronouns used in the play?
Why the title, The Crucible?
ACT 2
Explain the relationship between John and
Elizabeth Proctor.
What role does Mary Warren play during the trial?
How do you see Reverend Hale? Trace his opinions
about witchcraft, his abilities, his belief about the role
of the church and his beliefs about the court system.
Identify and explain the changing roles Mary Warren
goes through.
Who is the voice of reason in Act 2?
How is the theme human cruelty and righteousness
presented in this Act?
Research:
What is “Malleus Maleficorum”?
What was “Wonders of the Invisible World” by
Cotton Mather’s report?
What is figurative language? What is a metaphor?
Explain these: “your justice would freeze beer”, “the
man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meeting houses”,
“theology…is a fortress”
For discussion:
What does an individual’s ability to use
figurative language tell you about that person?
Which characters in the play tend to use metaphors
often?
ACT 3
Explain how revenge, justice, ignorance, and wisdom
are used? Support with quotations.
Which characters favor ignorance? Why?
Research:
Examine the idea of separation of church and state.
(who, what, when, and why) Locate any recent
court cases that address this concept.
What are the major turning points in the play?
How is Act 3 the climax?
How is John Proctor the voice of reason?
In small groups discuss and prepare
a debate for the motivations and actions of
the following characters:
Danforth
Abigail
Mary Warren
ACT 4
Community:
Who is a part of the Salem Community?
Who is excluded?
How and why does the trial change the order of Salem?
What happens to the community when the order is
changed?
Order vs. Freedom:
Why did the Puritans come to America?
What individual freedom was present in Salem?
What level of order?
What happens when the balance is offset?
When does order become autocratic?
Why does Miller end the play with Proctor’s
refusal to sign the confession and Elizabeth’s
refusal to beg him to sign?
Why does Hale want him sign?
Why does Danforth want Proctor to see Elizabeth?
After thoughts:
What is theocracy and how was it broken?
Were the events in Salem important in the development
in democracy in America?
Was Salem an autocracy? Who was the leader?
What is a tragedy? Was this play a tragedy?
Who is the tragic hero? Who has the tragic flaw?
What moral weaknesses are present?
Psychological?
Social Pressures?
Each character has his own distinct quality. Most
characters are distinctly good or evil.
Example:
In the play, farmer John Proctor is accused of
witchcraft. He takes the occasion to examine himself and
acknowledge his faults, unlike his accusers. He also
withstands the attempts by prosecutor Danforth to exploit
him, and refusing to sign a false confession he is hanged.
His death affirms the values by which he stood, not the
values of the time that condemned him.
Themes:
•Pride - John refusal to sign the confession because
he would loose his pride and good name.
•Revenge - The girls and the accusers were naming people
whom they did not like and wanted to harm
them.
•Fear - Fear of the devil permitted the witch trials.
•Conflict of authority - Danforth felt the law should be
followed exactly, and that anyone
who opposed the trials was trying to
undermine him and his authority
and the church.
•Puritan Ethics - They believed lying and adultery were
horrible sins.
•Self interest - They were looking out for their own
lives and took whatever actions necessary
to save themselves.
•Honesty- Elizabeth
Key issues:
Fear, self interest: Shows what happens when emotions
control your logic and thinking. Hysteria vs. selfpreservation.
Puritan Ethics: Church was very important. Very religious
Modern things destroying the old church.
Believed in the devil and pacts with him.
It was a horrible sin to lie.
Integrity: John broke the trust between Elizabeth and
him. He sinned, and the people would have condemned
him, if they knew.
EXAMPLE CRITICISM QUESTIONS
Characters:
Are the characters fully developed?
Is the reader is only able to see one side of each
character?
Is John Proctor, the main character as developed as he
could be?
Is this due to the restrictions of time and
narration of this particular genre?
Setting:
Why Salem, Massachusetts during the 17 century?
Is the setting real? Why? How?
Is it important that the story takes place during the
17 century?
Why choose this community?
Why this group of people?
Why not use the twentieth and even the nineteenth
centuries?
Plot
Do the events flow naturally?
Does the story factual basis make it more interesting?
Are the results believable?
Was there sufficient conflict to keep my interest?
Is this historical fiction?
What events in Salem can be seen as a paradox?
Is this play political allegory?
How does the play specifically show irony?
Does the title The Crucible work?
Be able to identify characters, plot, themes, and
connections to areas outside of the play.