Karyn O’Sullivan
Ms. DelGrego
English 3 – CP
12/19/11
Paranoia Throughout The Ages
Throughout history exploiting people’s paranoia has proven to be a way of gaining
power. Just like the 1950’s, McCarthyism, the Salem witch trials were about accusations that
helped a select few prosper in power. McCarthyism is the random accusation of government
officials and reporters of being communists. McCarthyism started when Senator Joseph
McCarthy made the public accusation that two hundred communists had infiltrated the American
government. Salem, MA. citizens of 1962 thought the devil was taking over the town as when in
the 1950’s Americans thought communism would flourish during the “Red Scare”. Events
during the 1950’s like McCarthyism and the “Red Scare” are echoed in Arthur Miller’s The
Crucible.
In The Crucible the group of afflicted girls accuse people of witch craft at random. When
Abigail’s uncle, Reverend Parris, finds her and her friends dancing in the woods, Abigail decides
in order to avoid alienation by her community to blame people throughout the town of
bewitching her and the other dancing girls. Abigail and the girls accuse people that, when they
are gone, her and her family can prosper off of. “I must shut my conscience to it no more –
private vengeance is working through this testimony,” (Miller 114). Reverend Hale is talking to
Deputy Governor Danforth and Judge Hathorne in the court chambers about Abigail’s testimony
in the trials. Hale is referring to the claims Abigail laid on Mrs. Proctor of being a witch and on
Putman. Abigail in the play has a crush on John Proctor and will reportedly do anything to get
him. By accusing Putman His land will be put up for sale and her family can buy it and add on to
their family farm. McCarthyism is a modern day set of random accusations to help in the gain of
power by the accuser, just like in the Salem witch trials of 1692. During the witch trials a group
of young girls accused people of witchcraft making it easier for their families to gain land.
“Joseph McCarthy made a public accusation that more than two hundred “card-carrying”
communists had infiltrated the United States government” (Arthur Miller: McCarthyism 1). The
author of this article is stating that Senator McCarthy started McCarthyism by accusing
government officials and journalists. These accused people had trouble finding work and were
pushed out of their own community just like in The Crucible. Not only can McCarthyism be seen
in The Crucible, but so can characteristics of the “Red Scare”.
The Crucible is about the mass hysteria that Abigail had bestowed upon Salem, just like
the “Red Scare” was a mass hysteria in a more modern day setting. Abigail is afraid of becoming
an outcast in her own town. In order to avoid complete alienation Abigail comes up with a way
to use the fear of the Devil to create mass hysteria and to gain people’s trust and support. Once
Abigail puts the devil out there people start to throw in evidence and stories that may or may not
support the idea of the Devil ruling Salem. “I’d not call it sick; the Devil’s touch is heavier than
sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them” (Miller 13). Mrs. Putnam is a huge believer
in the takeover of the Devil; she tries to convince Mr. Parris in his own house even though he
assures her it could not be the devil at play. The fear of the devil spreading throughout Salem is
similar to the fear of Communism spreading in America during the “Red Scare” of the 1950’s.
the “Red Scare” was when Americans were afraid that Communism would succeed and that
Capitalism would be threatened. “…used massive distress on the political, social, and economic
status in America. Their pleas of corruption and conspiracy led to the paralysis of independent
thought” (The Red Scare of the 1950’s 1). McCarthy was using the power of fear to create a
mass hysteria. People’s fear of the spread of communism was encouraged by the spread of it
through Europe and Asia, they saw it happening there and McCarthy led them to believe that it
would, and was spreading into America. Mass Hysteria could happen in any decade, all it takes
to create mass hysteria is group of people’s fear.
The events in the 1950’s of McCarthyism and the “Red Scare” as well as the Salem
Witch Trials of 1692 show that it is possible to control a group of people through fear. It takes a
corrupt leader like McCarthy and Abigail to lead their followers down a fearful and dark path.
People with power, good or bad, can control almost all aspects of people’s lives. This has been
proven through events like the “Red Scare” and McCarthyism, and through the Salem witch
trials.
Works Cited

"Arthur Miller: McCarthyism." American Masters. pbs, 2011. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/>.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. 1953. N.p.: Viking Penguin Inc. , 1982. Print.

"The Red Scare of the 1950's." example essays. N.p., 2002. Web. 15 Dec.
2011.<http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/98034.html>.