Name: ________________________
Date: ________________________
English 3- P 2
3
5
6
“The Crucible”
Guided Notes Sheet
Part I: Overview

An American play written in the ___________ by the playwright, _________________________.

Focuses on residents of _______________, Massachusetts. Colored pencil

There are 4 main issues the play deals with:
o __________________________________________
o __________________________________________
o __________________________________________
o __________________________________________
American Drama

1950s drama was heavily influenced by:
o World War II just ending
o The desire for ___________
o Feelings of ___________ and exploration of ___________

The Crucible premiered in the year ___________ in New York City.
Arthur Miller

Born in ___________ in ___________

His father’s business failed because of the Depression

Family moved around a lot because of poverty

Attended _________________________________
o Returned to NYC after graduating college, but had no luck with writing

Finally had a play on Broadway
o _______________________ (1947)

In 1949, wrote __________________________________

Married _______________________but divorced a few years later

Wrote “The Crucible” in the early 1950s, and was accused of being a _______________________

Died in ___________
Salem, Massachusetts

Located on the coast

Settled mainly by _______________ in 1626
o A group of people who left _______________ so they could practice _______________
___________________.

Often let their religious beliefs guide their daily lives

Most known for the ________________________________ of 1692.

Nickname: ___________________________
Issues
1. Greed: How do you define greed?
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2. Is greed ever a good thing? Explain.
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3. Guilt: What leads people to feel guilt?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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4. Motivation: What is the biggest motivator in your life?
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5. Morality: List your top three “moral rules.”
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6. How do these issues (greed, guilt, motivation, morality) fit into our ideas of America?
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Part II: The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials occurred from ____________ through ____________ of 1692.

The people involved believed in the _________________ religion.

The townspeople were in a state of _________________ about witches/evil.
o Hysteria means: _______________________________________
The Facts

A young girl named _____________________________ became ill.

She suffered from a ____________, extreme ____________, and she was _______________________.

Others became ill:
o __________________________________________
o __________________________________________
o __________________________________________

Doctors couldn’t explain the illness, so they said it was ____________________
o Townspeople were easily convinced

A servant in town, ____________________was suspected of witchcraft
o After the initial arrests, more and more people were accused of witchcraft.

The punishment for witchcraft was ________________________________

In order to __________, some people ________________________________
The Casualties

____________________men and women were put to death for witchcraft

One man, _______________________, was also _________________________.
Why did this happen?

People were ___________________/_______________________

A book about witchcraft had just been published by _______________________

People were at ____________________ with ______________________________________

_______________/_______________ were on the mind of many
o This was mostly because of the fighting and the _________________ that killed so many).

_______________culture easily accepted the _______________as the source of evil/wrong in life
What is the benefit of blaming something/someone like the devil (or even God)?
__________________________________________________________________
What is the problem with this?
__________________________________________________________________
Other Explanations

Teenagers in town were ___________________ and got carried away
o ___________________ and ___________________ were not allowed at all!
o All of the ___________________ were teenage girls (think about how teenagers act today)

Some of the accusers were ___________________ people
o This was an easy way to get rid of people they didn’t like!

There was a general sense of ___________________ in town
o Not a lot of ___________________ /___________________/__________________
Which of these explanations is the most believable to you? Why?
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Part III: Historical Context
The Appeals of Communism

America’s ________________________________ left people upset about the American government.
o Many people believed everyone deserved basics
o Communism offers that __________________

1939: __________________ Americans were members of the __________________ party.
Then, World War II Begins

1941: America begins fighting against _______________________ (and others).

Communism was seen as _______________________ because of the surge in _____________________
o _________: America won World War II

Defeated the German government of fascism
o Fascism is defined as:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
America vs. The Soviet Union

America was emerging as a world power, but:
o The Soviet Union was its main _______________________
o The Soviet Union was _______________________
AND

America and The Soviet Union competed against each other for world power in:
o ______________________________
o ______________________________

In effect, ______________________________
Communism came to be seen as “evil”

1950: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg arrested
o Charged with supplying _______________________________ to the Soviet Union

Soviet Union developed the atomic bomb (from the secrets provided)

Communism became the __________________ of everything America __________________!
The “Red Scare” Begins

____________: color of Communism

Symbol of Communism: __________________________________________
HUAC

HUAC: House Committee of _________________________________________
o This committee questioned Americans who were suspected of being Communists
o They summoned thousands of people to testify

Goal: to get as many ________________________________________ as possible
Joseph McCarthy

Ruthless head of the HUAC

Claimed he had a list of ________________________ who worked for the US Govt.

Ringleader of the Red Scare
Who Was Suspected of Being a Communist?

Filmmakers, directors, actors were accused of attending __________________________

Certain politicians were also targeted

These people had two options:
o _______________ to being a Communist and tell _______________ names of other people who
attended Communist meetings
o _______________ to admit anything (or rat out others) and be _______________

Can’t get work if blacklisted!
Why were people involved in movies and politics targeted?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
“The Crucible” and Communism

Allegory: ________________________________ that tells one story on the _______________________
while referring to another ____________________________.
o Example: comparing “The Crucible” to the Red Scare
Venn Diagram Comparison
Complete the Venn Diagram by comparing your notes on the Red Scare to those on the Salem Witch Trials.
Part IV: Character Introduction
Protagonist vs. Antagonist
o Protagonist: ______________________________________
o Antagonist: _______________________________________
o

Abigail Williams:
o _________________________________of the group of girls
o Having an affair with _________________________________
o Smart, _________________________________, jealous
John Proctor:
Elizabeth Proctor:

Farmer

John Proctor’s wife

Married, but having an affair with Abigail

_____________________, and honest

Proud and (usually) ___________________

Sometimes seen as ____________________,
The Girls:

Betty Parris: Daughter of the town _________________________________

Ruth Putnam: Daughter of a wealthy, _________________________________ landowner

Mary Warren: Servant of the _________________________________

Mercy Lewis: Servant of the _________________________________
Reverend Parris:

Town minister

_________________________________

Concerned with that others _________________________________
John Hale:

“Expert” on _________________________________

Asked to come to Salem for his _________________________________

_________________________________and _________________________________
Tituba:

Slave from _________________________________

Performs _________________________________

Accused of witchcraft
Giles Corey
Rebecca Nurse

Older man who is pressed to death

Kind, older woman accused of witchcraft

Outspoken

Very ____________________and sensible

Files ______________________frequently
Protagonist/Antagonist
Which character are YOU most like?
_________________________________________
Who do you think the protagonist is?
_________________________________________
Who/what is the antagonist in “The Crucible?”
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