It is a generally accepted fact that the judicial system will treat everyone fairly if they ever have to encounter it. This belief does not always hold true. For example, during McCarthyism of the forties to fifties, the hearings twisted logic and was governed by fear. Many people noticed this abuse of power and decided to speak out. One of those people was Arthur Miller. He remembered stories about the Salem witch trials and saw similarities. He then wrote The Crucible in the time period of the Salem witch trials as an allegory, a story with a second meaning, for the McCarthy trials. Arthur Miller’s book, The Crucible, subtly warns McCarthy era hysterics about the dangers of unfounded convictions, forced incrimination, and extreme
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In the HUAC hearings, those held for questioning could plead the fifth to stop from incriminating themselves, even if McCarthy did not like it, but this amendment does not protect you from incriminating your friends or co-workers. This exploit was used to find more people to put on trial and further the hearings. Instead of telling the truth and not condemning innocent people of unfounded crimes, “other Americans, fearing that someone would point the finger at them, charged other people with being communists. If you could prove that someone else was a communist, no one would point the accusing finger at you” (McCarthyism in 1950s America). Sadly, it was much the same in Puritan Massachusetts. Once Tituba the Barbados slave was pigeon-holed into confessing to speaking with the Devil, she used her confession to shift the blame to Sarah Good to demonstrate she loved God more than the Devil. Right afterward, Abigail confesses “I danced; with the Devil… I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (Miller 44) If she had not confessed, she may have been accused by association with Tituba, so, to protect herself, she accused other women of witchcraft. Arthur Miller draws this obvious connection to show how illusory most of the allegations were, as they came from …show more content…
In the 1940s and 50s, fear of foreign spies peaked. Americans believed they would hold a monopoly on atomic weapons for an extensive period of time, but, to the shock of the whole world, Communist Russia exploded their own atom bomb in 1949. Many suspected treason; who gave our secret away and betrayed America? In the end, very little evidence for treason was found, but the effect on the American mindset was tremendous. When Whittaker Chambers testified in the case of Alger Hiss, “we were close friends, but we are caught in a tragedy of history. Mr. Hiss represents the concealed enemy against which we are all fighting, and I am fighting” (Sanction). Chambers, like many other Americans, was suspicious of the unseen evil that may be right in front of you, in this case, even a friend. To avoid being accused yourself you must be wary of every person around because they could be the “concealed enemy,” a communist spy. Instead of using the “innocent until proven guilty” principle, the public was incredulous of everyone around them. In Salem, Reverend Hale implies the same concept when he says “the Devil is a wily one” (Miller 61). Much of the reverend's words help fuel the hysteria plaguing the town. To add, both areas believed that even the best people could be victim to the enemy. McCarthy brewed up a following when he claimed he had 200 names of government officials
In the HUAC hearings, those held for questioning could plead the fifth to stop from incriminating themselves, even if McCarthy did not like it, but this amendment does not protect you from incriminating your friends or co-workers. This exploit was used to find more people to put on trial and further the hearings. Instead of telling the truth and not condemning innocent people of unfounded crimes, “other Americans, fearing that someone would point the finger at them, charged other people with being communists. If you could prove that someone else was a communist, no one would point the accusing finger at you” (McCarthyism in 1950s America). Sadly, it was much the same in Puritan Massachusetts. Once Tituba the Barbados slave was pigeon-holed into confessing to speaking with the Devil, she used her confession to shift the blame to Sarah Good to demonstrate she loved God more than the Devil. Right afterward, Abigail confesses “I danced; with the Devil… I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (Miller 44) If she had not confessed, she may have been accused by association with Tituba, so, to protect herself, she accused other women of witchcraft. Arthur Miller draws this obvious connection to show how illusory most of the allegations were, as they came from …show more content…
In the 1940s and 50s, fear of foreign spies peaked. Americans believed they would hold a monopoly on atomic weapons for an extensive period of time, but, to the shock of the whole world, Communist Russia exploded their own atom bomb in 1949. Many suspected treason; who gave our secret away and betrayed America? In the end, very little evidence for treason was found, but the effect on the American mindset was tremendous. When Whittaker Chambers testified in the case of Alger Hiss, “we were close friends, but we are caught in a tragedy of history. Mr. Hiss represents the concealed enemy against which we are all fighting, and I am fighting” (Sanction). Chambers, like many other Americans, was suspicious of the unseen evil that may be right in front of you, in this case, even a friend. To avoid being accused yourself you must be wary of every person around because they could be the “concealed enemy,” a communist spy. Instead of using the “innocent until proven guilty” principle, the public was incredulous of everyone around them. In Salem, Reverend Hale implies the same concept when he says “the Devil is a wily one” (Miller 61). Much of the reverend's words help fuel the hysteria plaguing the town. To add, both areas believed that even the best people could be victim to the enemy. McCarthy brewed up a following when he claimed he had 200 names of government officials