Act Two Questions – The Crucible
Please answer the following in your spiral notebooks.
1a. What does Mary Warren bring home to Elizabeth Proctor?
1b. What is the significance of this gift?
1c. After spending time at the court, what does Mary Warren
reveal about Elizabeth Proctor’s reputation?
1d. How does this disclosure serve to make the quarrel
between Elizabeth Proctor and John Proctor even more
heated?
14. Research the story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea
before responding to this question. What does the biblical
allusion to Moses and the parting of the Red Sea suggest about
how the crowd views Abigail Williams?
2a. What does Elizabeth Proctor report to her husband about
the trials in Salem?
2b. What does she urge her husband to do?
2c. Why is John Proctor so hesitant in following his wife’s
suggestion?
3a. What are some of the ways in which Reverend John Hale
questions John Proctor and his wife about their religious faith?
3b. How do the Proctors answer each of the questions and
allegations? (there are three - list them)
3c. What theological argument does Reverend John Hale use
to explain the causes of the events in Salem?
3d. Does John and Good Proctor agree with Reverend Hale’s
theological argument? Explain.
4a. What evidence is used to support Abigail Williams’
assertion that Elizabeth Proctor is guilty of witchcraft?
4b. Do you think this evidence is compelling? Why or why
not?
5a. What does Goody (Sarah) Good do to save herself from
being hanged?
5b. Why would such an action save her?
6a. According to John Proctor, what is “walking Salem” and
writing the law in the community?
6b. What evidence would support Proctor’s assertion?
6c. What does John Proctor rip up at the end of the act?
7a. Who says the witchcraft trials are “a black mischief”?
7b. What is ironic about that remark?
8a. Do you believe John Proctor is correct in not having this
third child baptized by Reverend Samuel Parris? Why or why
not?
8b. Why does John Proctor feel Reverend John Hale is
attacking him, regarding his Puritan faith and belief?
9a. Why is it surprising that Rebecca Nurse is charged with
witchcraft?
9b. Who charged her, and what is her evidence?
10a. Why is Martha Corey charged with witchcraft?
(There are two charges - list both)
11b. Who purposely charges her?
12c. Who accidentally charges her?
13. Ezekiel Cheever arrests Elizabeth Proctor and Rebecca
Nurse. He knows these women are innocent. What is his
argument for doing his job?
15a. Research the story of Jesus and Pontius Pilate before
responding to this question. What does John Proctor’s
allusion to Pontius Pilate imply about Proctor’s opinion of
Reverend John Hale?
15b. What does the allusion to Pontius Pilate imply about the
witchcraft proceedings in Salem?
16. The Puritans lacked modern day laws which protect people
from illegal searches and arrests. How does this fact add to
your appreciation of the scene in which Good (Elizabeth)
Proctor is arrested?
17. What conflict (Writer’s INC) does John Proctor face at the
end of the act?
18. One of author Arthur Miller’s most powerful devices in
the play is his use of irony (Writer’s INC).
Irony is a contrast or discrepancy between expectation and
reality. (make sure to write these definitions down into your
notes!)
In verbal irony, a writer or speaker says one thing but really means
the opposite.
In situational irony, what actually happens is the opposite of what is
expected or appropriate.
In dramatic irony, the audience or reader is aware of something
important that a character does not know.
Explain how each of the following is an example of verbal,
situational or dramatic irony:
a. John Proctor’s words to Elizabeth Proctor at the beginning
of the act, “Pray now for a fair summer.”
b. Mary Warren’s gift of a poppet to Elizabeth Proctor
c. John Proctor’s reliance, early in the act, on the good
offices/friendship of Ezekiel Cheever
d. The one Commandment out of ten that John Proctor can’t
remember
e. John Proctor’s statement near the end of the act about
Abigail Williams, “Good. Then her saintliness is done with.”
f. Reverend John Hale’s statement about Reverend Samuel
Parris, “The man’s ordained, therefore the light of God is in
him.”
19. Although the play presents many conflicting forces and
characters, the end of this act hints that the most important
conflict, leading up to the climax of the play, will take place
between two specific characters – a protagonist and an
antagonist (Writer’s INC). Who are these characters? What
hints can you detect in this act about the resolution (Writer’s
INC) of this conflict?