The Role Of Fear In The Crucible

Improved Essays
Sometimes people are very afraid of the little things and their fear makes them focus on only the negative outcomes. Sometimes, their fear also affects others around them because people hold back their ability . When this happens, people tend to feel defeated which is not the case. This is important because the ability to conquer a fear and show everyone who did not believe is the biggest reward. In Arthur Miller’s drama, The Crucible characters create a suspense and heart worthy emotion of keeping their families and self reputation alive. The characters struggled with the idea of upholding their reputation and proving their worthy because of the witch hunts, and allowing other people to control their destiny. Abigail and the others are the …show more content…
It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” by Ronald Reagan relates back to The Crucible, because of the idea that was created of having to have a perfect society that meets everyone's needs and wants, which therefore shows how population, even the area of living will determine happiness along with satisfaction. By allowing the disorganization of not being happy or even having to lie for a family reputation shows a true heart worthy character, a character like John Proctor. How every Abigail is used to lying and being portrayed, so how far would she go to make John Proctor pay for making her feel unwanted. For example Abigail treats the other girls bad, yet treats her uncle with respect, which leads the girls to feel unempowered and afraid. Abigail states “Uncle, the rumor of witchcraft is all about; I think it’s best you go down and deny it yourself...”(Crucible.I.1103.). However, Abigail and Betty name names because they want to take the attention off themselves, which makes them think blaming others will be easier than convincing the adults that the story isn't actually

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    Post by: Sofia Ricra A leading motif in Arthur Miller's The Crucible is that of allegations. In the story, Abigail has understood that her recent statement will ensure her so she continues to blame more and more women in the town for Salem. Leading to many innocent people getting killed because they were being wrongfully accused. Abigail is manipulating and a liar.…

    • 105 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The world can twist what it perceives as right and wrong in many people’s eyes leaving those who act in good spirit behind and propel those that act in bad spirit forward. The Crucible by Arthur Miller proves a prime example of this fact. Salem, Massachusetts, a corrupt town ruled by priests mixed in with mass hysteria, sets the stage for this story in which the liars and deceivers triumph over those who tell the truth and try to defend their loved ones. John Proctor, one of the victims of the town’s wrath, starts his journey as a respected farmer, but the deceitful Abigail Williams soon turns on him. The same fate awaits the wife of Proctor, Elizabeth.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Crucible in an allegory that ultimately addresses human behaviour. Death is a common denominator when societies are left to their own demise, as seen with the useless killings of the “witches” of Salem, Massachusetts to include our protagonist, John Proctor. Through the hysterics of the Salem villagers we see people struck with the fear of being accused of witchcraft; despite witchcraft being somewhat of a grey phenomenon, it was solidly used to indict and kill villagers to the benefit of others. When you look at two specific characters within the Crucible i.e. John Proctor and Reverend Hale you notice opposite reactions in response to their respective regret thus analyzing their actions, you notice threads of human action that continues…

    • 123 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    INSERT GRABBER HERE. People fear the unknown because they need a sense of control and they need to feel safe in the community. The unknown can be a very scary thing back during the time period of the Salem Witch Trials. The unknown could be that there was a witch trying to kill someone or it could be a person being claimed that they are a witch but they are not. Even if the person didn't admit to being a witch they would be hung because people thought if they didn't then they could kill everyone.…

    • 127 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Crucible demonstrates importance in American society because it portrays relatable events and themes that are displayed all throughout history. This in turn, links our views of today’s society to the time period in the book; making it more relatable and of greater importance. The affair that John Proctor had with Abigail is an example of this relation that happens before the book begins and ignites the witchcraft scare. This unfortunate situation is illustrated throughout history, one example being the Lewinsky Scandal. This event affected an entire country instead of a small town, but still ended in almost complete chaos.…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is one of the most compelling modern texts that discusses fear and how it affects society as a whole, as well as the individual. It is no coincidence that this play was written during the contemporary witch hunt called the Red Scare. Miller was clearly using the many similarities between the early colonial setting of his writing and the bleak truths of his time period to draw attention to patterns that repeat throughout history and will continue to repeat as long as there are people to feel fear. Specifically, Arthur Miller is discussing how fear can influence the minds and actions of those who let it and how those fears do not always have roots proportional to its victims reactions.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Although the affair between John and Abigail is not historically accurate, Miller uses it because it “ignites a sexual flame, one with echoes in his own life” (Bisby). Before Miller wrote this play, he strayed from his wife and felt a sense of guilt, so he includes since it “deeply implicated his own life” (Bisby). Therefore, the reason why he includes the affair to utilize a personal situation since it deeply influenced his life and left him in a state of confusion, like John Proctor. Most importantly, The Crucible reflects Arthur Miller’s life because he relates the ideologies of McCarthyism to the witch trials by discussing the fears of those involved, but not the actual proceedings. The witch-hunt is depicted as a way to “express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against the victims” (Miller, Act I, 7).…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Crucible Reputation

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, reputations play a vital role to the story and development of characters as it determines their behavior. Preserving their reputations is the driving force of some of these characters, influencing their actions and the direction of the story. Three characters that go to great lengths to preserve their reputation are Samuel Parris, Abigail Williams, and John Proctor. These character’s reputations influence their behavior and almost dictate their actions in their goal to preserve their reputation, sometimes even clouding the truth. In the story, Samuel, John, and Abigail are so concerned with their reputations that it drives them to extremes.…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Between the months of February 1692 and and May 1693 in Massachusetts there was a up bringing of rumors of witchcraft in the small town of Salem. In “ The Crucible “ by Arthur Miller revenge is shown through characters, fear is shown through plot , and hysteria is shown through theme. Fear is shown through plot by the lie that has gone too far and is ruining people's lives on telling the truth. In one instance John Proctor is taking Mary Warren to court to confess she lied about everything and so the girls. “ I cannot lie no more.…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Looking back at the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692, and later on in the McCarthy trials, you can determine that fear was a ruling factor in the behavior of those involved. Arthur Miller was unmistaken when he stated in Why I wrote The Crucible: An Artist’s Answer to Politics by Arthur Miller that “fear doesn’t travel well; …it can warp judgment” (1). The fear that was instilled upon the people of Salem was that if anyone opposed the trials they were not only accused of overthrowing the court, they were also accused of overthrowing God – provoking charges of witchcraft. By using biblical allusions, Parris’ eager pursuit for “justice,” and Abigail’s vindictive actions Miller demonstrates through The Crucible that the application of power can instill so much fear in others that they succumb to submitting to immoral…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Fear in The Crucible Fear in today 's society causes you to become anxious and emotional. Fear is only in your mind. It can cause people to be lead in the wrong direction. In the story The Crucible, people act out of fear. Basically anyone could get accused of being witches.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    By naming off townspeople they had known for years and saying they saw them with the Devil, it saved Abigail, Tituba and Betty from getting in considerable trouble. The most prominent example of this is when Abigail becomes hysteric in court, and accuses Mary Warren for her actions. Abigail and Mary Warren are very good friends, and it was a shock when Abby turned on Mary and accused her of witchcraft. “To the ceiling, in a genuine conversation with the ‘bird’, as though trying to talk it out of attacking her: But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary”…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the play “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller we see many themes and lessons in the story. The main theme is focussed on deceit and lying and how lies can lead down a dark road which results in the ruin of many. The Crucible is a fictional play based on the Salem Witch Trials which occurred between February 1692 and May 1693 and resulted in over 150 people being accused of witchcraft and 20 executed. The story focusses on the story of John Proctor and Abigail Williams, his niece, and how lies, jealousy, revenge, and deep seated feuds caused a community to turn on each other in a vicious circle of accusations and misunderstandings. The characters in the play who lie significantly are Abigail, John Proctor, and Mary Warren…

    • 1210 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The fact that when John, a man of authority within the Salem community, goes to court and states that Abigail has concocted this huge lie, and the court chooses to believe Abigail, a young, unmarried girl, shows Proctor’s significant loss of influence and credibility during the Salem witch trials. The themes of loss of power and abuse of power within the play, The Crucible, are more thoroughly explored than the theme of…

    • 1183 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This scene represents a role reversal in that Proctor’s sin which opened the play becomes his opportunity for righteousness and a sense of redemption as he confesses in an attempt a moral truthfulness. However, Proctor’s expression of morality in the form of truthfulness are quickly turned against him as he is branded a liar and accused of witchcraft by the court. At this moment, the court which has symbolized morality and John Proctor which has symbolized immorality as a result of his sin of adultery, reverse their roles and Proctor is destroyed by his actions of  honesty. This role reversal further supports that assertion that The Crucible is a play devoted to morality.…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays