The Crucible
"The Crucible" and today's society are quite similar thal it corresponds with people's way
of life. The similarities between people and "The Crucible" are that the feelings of the book and
people are revolving around each other. "The Crucible" is also influential to people because it's a
historic book. It is historic because of it taking place of an historic event. "The Crucible" remains
an influential play in today's society because the ideas ofthe fear of witchcraft, quickly spreading
fear, and I.mfairly blaming minorities still plague the vvorJd today.
People today because of its uncertainty fear witchcraft. People today and back then still
fear whether or not to believe in witchcraft. People today have so many things to fear that when
something new pops up it is utter chaos. From "The Crucible" Mary Warren helps show how
fear spreads, "Abby, we've got to tell. Witchery's a hangin' error, a hangin' like they done in
Boston two year ago~ We must tell the truth, Abby~ You'll only be whipped for dancin', and
other tbings"(18-19). Instead of Abigail follo'vving this choice, she told everyone to stay quiet
so they wouldn't get in trouble.
In today's society, gossip is all around us. ]f gossip isn't being spread at the moment the
world would be lost. Look at the celebrities there is always gossip being spread about them. In
the following quote Abigail is pushed all the way to gossip about other people with the devil so
she can save herself. "I want to open myself! I want the light of God, I 'vvant the sweet love of
Jesus! I danced for the Devil; Jsaw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I
saw Sarah Good vV'ith the Devil! I saw
Goody Osburn with the Devi I! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!"(48). This brought the whole
Witch Trials in to place by gossiping on other people.
Discrimination in tuday's society seems to be a part in a person's natural instinct.
Discrimination just never seems to disappear, it is here today and was here a long time ago.
Discrimination also occms in different fonns too, like with slavery, family, and names. In "The
Crucible" Abigail persuades the rest of the people thal a slave did this using discrimination, and
everyone believed her because she wasn't a slave. So in the line "I never called him! Tituba,
Tituba..."(42), this is where she blames a slave named Tituba. And without even given a fair
questioning Tituba was arrested.
Therefore "The Crucible" is still in today's society because all the things that
happen to the characters still are ill play today. And the characters can relate to people
today. Witchcraft is feared by all the books and movies that are out today, so it was and is
still feared by many people. Rumors spread quickly by all the willing people, so in "The
Crucible" and in today's society the rumors spread quicker if the people are willing to
pass it along. In a honible situation people will react to their old ways including
discrimination, that's what happened in "The Crucible" and that's what will happen today.