The Crucible
By Arthur Miller
Biography of Arthur Miller
1915-2005 (Born almost 100
years ago!
Died at what age?
Playwright
What did he do?
Liked to write about issues in
society
Cool fact… Miller married
three times, his second
marriage was to Marilyn
Monroe
The Crucible
Written about the Puritans…
Extremely strict religion
Make an inference about how
women were seen/treated.
Common names included…
Patience
Silence
Fear
Prudence (well-behaved)
The Salem Witch Trials
The story of a few teenage girls that sparked a witch
hunt in Salem Massachusetts.
At first, the girls only accuse a few people to avoid
getting in trouble, but then, the hysteria spreads!!!
More about the Puritans
Church was required!
You miss church, you must pay $$$$
Harsh punishment for those who were
bad
Adulterer (someone who cheated on
their husband/wife OR a woman
who had a child without being
married) were humiliated.
Were allowed to have small parties,
sang songs
What was the Crucible
REALLY about?
The Crucible was Written
during The Cold War
between the United States
and the Soviet Union
What made the war cold?
The US and the Soviets
never actually fought, it was
more of a fierce
competition…
What was The Crucible
REALLY about?
McCarthyism
"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the
Communist party?"
Does this sound familiar?
Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed that over 200
communists had “infiltrated” the US.
In the end, over 300 artists were “blacklisted” and for
many, this meant the end of their careers
This interrogation did not end until McCarthy accused
many decorated Army veterans of being communists
What is a communist?
Imagine a world with no social classes…
Where all money is shared by all…
Sounds pretty great right? Then what’s the problem?
The Founders
of
Communism
Essential Vocabulary
Rhetoric
Language that persuades, but is not always
meaningful/sincere.
Think commercials or political statements…
Essential Vocabulary
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be analyzed to reveal a
hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Examples of Allegory
The Chronicles of Narnia
Asland (the lion) is Jesus
and Edmund is Judas
The Wizard of Oz
The scarecrow= the past
The lion = cowardice
The tin man = the future
Wall-E and Avatar = ?
The Hunger Games?
Would you?
Would you accuse an innocent person to avoid being
thrown in jail, tortured, or killed?