The Crucible: Act I
Opening scene
in the Parris
house…
(Pages 1237-1239)
Who is in the bed?
Why?
Susanna: “…he been searchin’ his books since he
left you, sir. But he bid me tell you, that you
might look to unnatural things for the cause of it”
(Miller 1238)
The Putnams
enter the
room…
What are your thoughts about this?
Explain the significance of this quote.
What does Reverend Parris tell his niece Abigail
that he saw in the woods the previous night?
Write the quote(s) from page 1239 containing
Abigail’s response to this accusation.
Parris: “…Your name in the town- it is entirely
white, is it not?” (Miller 1239)
Explain the significance of this quote.
What does Reverend Parris say about Elizabeth
Proctor and Abigail (p 1239)?
How does Abigail respond (p 1240)?
What news do the Putnams bring about their
daughter Ruth? (p 1240)
Write the quote(s) that led you to this answer.
Parris: “They will howl me out of Salem for such
corruption in my house” (Miller 1241)
What is Parris’ main concern about the rumors of
witchcraft in Salem?
The girls talk
after the adults
go
downstairs…
Proctor (a
farmer)
enters…
Mrs. Putnam: “I have laid seven babies
unbaptized in the earth” (Miller 1242)
Explain this quote.
Why does Mrs. Putnam send Ruth to Tituba?
Abigail: “…if they be questioning us, tell them we
danced-I told him as much already” (Miller 1243)
What else does Reverend Parris know about the
girls’ activities the night before? (p 1243)
Discuss Abigail’s tone in this quote.
What does Abigail specifically do in the woods
the night before?
Write the quote that tells you this answer
including who said it. (p 1244)
How does Abigail threaten the other girls?
Write the quote that tells you this answer. (p
1244)
How do the girls react to him? (p 1245)
Mary:
Mercy:
Abigail:
What does Abigail tell Proctor about what the
girls were doing the previous night? (p 1245)
Proctor: “Ah, you’re wicked yet, aren’t y!” (Miller
1245)
Describe Proctor’s tone in this quote.
Abigail: “Give me a word, John. A soft word”
(Miller 1246)
How does Proctor respond? (p 1246)
What does this quote tell you about Abigail and
Proctor?
What happens to Betty when the adults
downstairs start singing a psalm? (p 1247)
(Hint: what does she do when she hears the
words “going up to Jesus”?)
The adults
from
downstairs
rush to Betty’s
side…
What does Ann Putnam say is wrong with Betty?
(p 1247)
Mrs. Putnam: “When they cannot bear to hear
the name of- (Miller 1247)
Who is ‘they’?
What is Rebecca Nurse’s reaction to everything
that is going on with the children? (p 1248-1249)
Why does Proctor say he does not go to church
(Sabbath meeting)? (p 1250)
List 3 things that Parris complains about
regarding Salem or his congregation. (p 1250)
1.
2.
3.
Reverend Hale
enters…
Putnam: “I’ll have my men clap a writ on you,
Corey!” (Miller 1252)
What is going on between these two men?
Hale: “…[the books] are weighted with authority”
(Miller 1255)
Explain this quote.
How does Hale express his doubt that the girls
are definitely afflicted by the Devil? (p 1256)
Write the quote.
How does Giles Corey accidentally get his wife in
trouble? (p 1257)
Explain Abigail’s answers to Hale/Parris’
questions about:
Who did Abigail then blame to get the heat off of
her? (p 1259)
1. Dancing2. Kettle3. Frog-
Mrs. Putnam
enters with
Tituba…
List two things that Abigail claims that Tituba
makes her do. (p 1260)
Why do you think Abigail’s claims are believed
even though Tituba is denying them?
1.
2.
Tituba: “…I tell him I don’t desire to work for him,
sir” (Miller 1260)
Why does Tituba turn from complete denial to
somewhat confessing to being a witch?
Who begins to calm Tituba down? (p 1261)
What does he tell her she is? (p 1261)
Tituba: “Oh, how many times he bid me kill
you…” (Miller 1262)
What does this say about their relationship?
To whom was she speaking?
The Crying
Out…
Who are the first people Tituba claims are
witches? (p 1262)
Why do you think she named these two women?
(Hint: go back and look at p 1261)
Who starts the “crying out”? (p 1262)
Why do you think both of them do what they did?
Who quickly joins her?
How does this act end? (p 1263)