The Crucible as Allegory
Encountering Conflict
What is an Allegory?
• Allegory: a story that is used to represent specific
ideas or principles. Similar to an extended
metaphor.
• The Crucible is written as an allegory to comment
on what was happening in 1950s America under
McCarthyism – it is not a direct representation,
but shows many similarities.
• This means that The Crucible is allegorical.
• Another term is Analogy
• It is not an Allergy.
The Crucible and McCarthyism
• In writing The Crucible, Arthur Miller wanted to
point out to the world the parallel between the
unjust Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and fear of
Communism that was at it’s height during the
1950s.
• He wanted to make a powerful statement about
the dangers of hysteria and the dehumanization
that can result.
McCarthyism
• McCarthyism: is the term used to describe the
approach that was taken in the 1950s to protect
America from the threat of Communist infiltration.
• Communism: A system of government where the
state owns and controls the economy through a
central government. There is no private ownership
and goods and property are shared.
• Anti-Communist feelings arose dramatically at the
end of the 1940s and into the 1950s, after World War
II, due to the growth of Communism from the USSR to
Eastern Europe.
• The Atomic Bomb and development of nuclear
weaponry also added to people’s fear of Communists.
The Rise of Anti-Communism
• The Communist influence was increasing in the US and
both citizens and government wanted it addressed.
• In 1947 President Truman put the Truman Loyalty Oath
into action, under public pressure, where government
employees had to sign their loyalty to the government.
• Set up loyalty review boards to investigate government
employees. (3.2 Million employees investigated)
• Therefore, anyone who wanted to bring about change, such
as advocates of Civil Rights, Women’s Rights etc, could be
classified as communist!
• In addition propaganda and media hysteria fueled this fear
of Communists (1947- Year of Division, He may be a
Communist, Fallout Shelter, Kids and Nukes)
HUAC - 1947
• House of Unamerican
Activities Commission
• Set up to investigate
communist organisations
in America.
• Specifically investigated
Hollywood filmmakers
suspected of promoting
Communist ideas.
• Blacklisted approximately
300 writers, actors and
producers.
Joseph McCarthy
• A U.S. Senator 1947 – 1957
• Relatively obscure until 1950 when he made his
famous “Wheeling Speech” (in Wheeling, West
Virginia) to the Republican Women’s club stating:
• “I have here in my hand a list of 205 — a list of
names that were made known to the Secretary of
State as being members of the Communist Party
and who nevertheless are still working and shaping
policy in the State Department.“
McCarthyism is born
• Though this speech was investigated and found to be
unsubstantiated, the public reaction was huge (as
seen in the town of Salem with the talk of witchcraft)
• McCarthy became the public face of AntiCommunism, soon called “McCarthyism” (McCarthy is
similar to Judge Danforth).
• He claimed there were many Communists, Soviet
spies and sympathizers inside federal government
departments
• He headed a committee that conducted hearings for
accused Communists
• However, he had little evidence to back up his claims
(as with the witches)
Who did he accuse?
• No one was safe from accusation but certain
people were targets:
• Over 300 actors, authors and directors known as
the Hollywood blacklist (including Arthur Miller)
– why?
• Certain politicians, state department, army, union
leaders
• Civil Rights, Gay rights and women’s rights
activists
• Artists, rock and roll bands, teenagers, the Girl
Scouts and many more
What happened to them:
• People who refused to cooperate with questioning
were blacklisted.
• Blacklisting meant that their professional reputation
was ruined and no one would hire them in case they
too were accused.
• Suspected communists were asked to confess and
identify other “Red” sympathisers.
• Many people tried to save themselves through false
confessions
• This created the idea that America was overrun with
communists and increased the hysteria.
Propaganda
• McCarthy inspired a culture of
fear, where people were
encouraged to spy on and
report their neighbours
The end of McCarthy
• McCarthy’s influence can to an end quite suddenly
when his accusations went too far.
• In 1953, he began claiming the Army was being
infiltrated by Communists and began investigating
them.
• At this President Eisenhower intervened.
• McCarthy’s hearings were televised and people saw
how unfair the trials were and that he was aggressive
and a bully.
• Edward R Murrows publically criticised McCarthy in
1954 on television for abusing American’s rights
• In 1954 he was publically reprimanded for abusing
and insulting the senate during proceedings and was
voted from his position of power.
Other Witch Hunts to consider
• McCarthyism came to be known as a witch hunt.
• This can be explained as a hysterical search for
people who stand for ideas that are not
mainstream, usually out of fear or moral panic,
often without concrete evidence or fair trials.
• It is worth considering other “witch-hunts” in
history to use in your writing.
Other Witch Hunts
• The 21st Century Witch hunt: War on Terror
• Attitudes to Muslims changed drastically throughout the
world after September 11, 2001, the Bali Bombings of
2002 and the London Suicide Bombings of 2005
• Fear and prejudice for anyone who was different became
much more widespread.
• Anti-Terrorism laws were established throughout the
western world these allowed for the detaining and
deporting of immigrants suspected (but not convicted) of
terrorism, invasions of privacy and surveillance of
individuals
• People were held without trial for extended periods
(Guantanamo Bay)
• More recently: Mosque at Ground Zero and this blog
Other Witch Hunts
• Things you could research:
• Controversy over the Patriot Act in the USA (The
documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore would be
of interest)
• Australian Terror Laws, “Be alert not alarmed”, National
Security Hotline
• Unlawful detainment in Guantanamo Bay
• David Hicks
• Treatment of prisoners in Abu Grahib
• The shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in the London
underground, 2005
• The Cronulla Riots
• Children Overboard
• Ousting of K. Rudd?
Other Witch Hunts
• Can you see similarities between The Crucible and:
• The activities of the Ku Klux Klan
• The Scottsboro Trials in the 1930s (think To Kill a
Mockingbird)
• Internment of Japanese Australians/Americans during
WWII
• Targeting of Gays and Lesbians in the 20th Century
• False accusations of child molestation in 1980s US
(http://ktffilms.com/news.html)
• Real witch hunts in modern day Africa and India
• And, of course, targeting Jews under Hitler
Expository or Persuasive Planning
• If you are planning on writing in these styles, create a
table as outlined below to consider the aspects of conflict
that are dealt with in The Crucible.
• Create separate tables for: Causes of Conflict, types of
conflict, consequences/impact of conflict, how people
respond to conflict, resolving conflict.
• Be as detailed as you can as this will help you broaden
your ideas for your writing.
CAUSES OF CONFLICT
Cause
The
Crucible
e.g. Personal Abigail has
agendas
lost Proctor
Putnam has
lost status
McCarthyism
Other historical
Personal
or current events Experiences
McCarthy was not Children
very influential,
overboard:
wanted attention Howard used it
to be re - elected
You want a
promotion, so
you sabotage
other applicants
Expository or Persuasive Planning
TYPES OF CONFLICT
Type of Conflict
The Crucible
McCarthyism
Historical/Current
Personal
Religious/
Political
Factions question
Parris’
leadership.
Fear of
Communist
threat to
democracy
Conflict between
Western ideology and
Muslim extremists
Generational
differences in
religious beliefs
CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT
Consequence
The Crucible
McCarthyism
Historical/Current
Cracks in society
are revealed
Arguing, accusing
others, loss of faith
Prejudice
surfaces,
spying
Racism becomes
acceptable, people
question leadership
Personal
Creative Responses
• If you are considering writing a response where
the ideas from the text are implicit, use the
same table approach to create ideas.
• If you are considering writing a response that is
directly based on the play, you need to plan the
types of responses you could write for each type of
prompt you might get.
• If you are unsure – do both.
Creative responses
• E.g.
Type of
Prompt
Aspect of
Prompt
Text based response
Parallel to text
Causes
Fear
Letter to the Proctors from Mary
Warren explaining why she
blamed John Proctor
Parody of 1950s
suburban
conformity
Personal
Grievance
Write the scene where Elizabeth
Proctor throws Abigail out
Desire for
Power
Your Writing
• If you want to make reference to parallels between
The Crucible and historical or current events, you
need to:
• Research carefully
• Be specific and detailed – don’t make general or
vague statements e.g. “Hitler killed the Jews in World
War II” – well, der! Discuss specific instances –
pogroms in Poland, Auschwitz, survivors stories
• Look for the personal angle: tell the stories of
individual situations rather than overall statements
Your writing
• If you are writing creatively, you need to know the
characters and the language use very well.
• Developing character profiles may help with this.
• Beware of writing in the first person. You will have to
be able to reflect the style of speaking as it is shown
in the play.
• If writing in the third person, you can reflect Miller’s
style in the asides that he writes in Act 1.