Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird contains a title that is very relevant to the plot of the story. The mockingbird is used as a symbol of innocence, and the “killing” of it represents characters like Scout, Jem, and Boo Radley losing their innocence. The story, as told through the eyes of Scout, shows her journey from an innocent six year old to a nine year old who no longer sees the world in such a pure way. This loss of childhood shows clearly how the title relates to the storyline. Similarly, The Crucible has an appropriate title that gives the reader an insight on the story’s plot. A crucible can be defined as a severe test or trial where different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new, and relates to the story through
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Initially, Hale was dogmatic about the thought that there was witchcraft in Salem, saying, “ No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it.” However, in Act III, Hale’s viewpoint changes drastically when he hears the husbands of those accused testify against his accusations. He learns that the women are some of the most Christian women in Salem, which leads people to believe that anybody could be guilty. In Act IV, Hale tries to convince Elizabeth to tell her husband to lie to the court to save his own life. Hale states, “Quail not before God‘s judgment in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride”, and tries to reason with Elizabeth that while lying may be a sin, throwing away one’s life for pride is worse. Though Hale realized his mistakes, he will still have to deal with the heavy burden of sending innocent people to their death for the rest of his life. The Crucible is a fitting title because it relates to multiple characters in the story. When looked into, it is easy to see how the definition of “crucible” pertains to figures such as Hale, Proctor, and Corey. While each one of the men had a different crucible, they all struggled to deal with the effects of the worst human emotion:
Initially, Hale was dogmatic about the thought that there was witchcraft in Salem, saying, “ No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it.” However, in Act III, Hale’s viewpoint changes drastically when he hears the husbands of those accused testify against his accusations. He learns that the women are some of the most Christian women in Salem, which leads people to believe that anybody could be guilty. In Act IV, Hale tries to convince Elizabeth to tell her husband to lie to the court to save his own life. Hale states, “Quail not before God‘s judgment in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride”, and tries to reason with Elizabeth that while lying may be a sin, throwing away one’s life for pride is worse. Though Hale realized his mistakes, he will still have to deal with the heavy burden of sending innocent people to their death for the rest of his life. The Crucible is a fitting title because it relates to multiple characters in the story. When looked into, it is easy to see how the definition of “crucible” pertains to figures such as Hale, Proctor, and Corey. While each one of the men had a different crucible, they all struggled to deal with the effects of the worst human emotion: