John Locke, a famous French philosopher, believed that people were naturally good, but English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, believed that humans were evil by nature. Both perspectives have credibility and validity to a certain extent. However, one common trend that can be traced through Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and modern American life is the prevalence of destructives forces such as hysteria, greed, and fear. Human nature can be good or evil based on which side of himself a person decides to work for. Because humans have continued to exhibit their good as well as evil nature one cannot exist without the other. Because these destructive forces are innate to us as humans they are demonstrated in both The Crucible and modern American life.
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Thomas Eric Duncan was a man who visited West Africa where he contracted Ebola and then died after returning to America. Duncan was the first case of Ebola in the U.S. and the fear of infection spread to others. Americans started to question if more people would become infected. One poll showed that nearly one in four people thought that someone in their close family would contract Ebola. Fortunately, this misconception did not occur. Today, a whole year later, no epidemic has happened here in America. In addition, people were set on edge because the media kept them updated 24/7 about the dangers of Ebola and drilled the hysteria into their heads. The news networks made a very big deal about the disease and their attitudes towards the outbreak spurred irrational fear, or hysteria, in millions. Similarly in The Crucible, once Tituba, Reverend Parris’s house slave, confesses to witchcraft the …show more content…
When witchcraft expert John Hale comes to Salem to investigate accusations of witchcraft he has a rather methodical and calm demeanor. However, as his stay progresses he feels more pressure and becomes more fearful that witches are in Salem. He questions John Proctor about his Ten Commandments and when Proctor cannot remember them all he equates the study of God to a fortress and alludes to the fact that he has no tolerance for people who do not have a strong religious beliefs. Hale is scared that crack in the fort will overrun it just like modern anti-illegal immigration activists feel illegal immigrants are overrunning their country. The opponents of illegal aliens are afraid of what they do not know. They are afraid that Mexican immigrants will steal jobs away from white workers and that, Heaven forbid, their communities become more diverse. As Hale describes a metaphorical fortress, opponents of illegal immigration are trying to build one. Even presidential candidate Donald Trump is afraid of what kinds of people are coming across the boarder. Trump’s bigoted attitude towards these people is one of fear bred from ignorance. Fear bred from ignorance is exactly what John Hale is experiencing. He is afraid of what he does not know. He does not know if John Proctor is a good person; Hale
Thomas Eric Duncan was a man who visited West Africa where he contracted Ebola and then died after returning to America. Duncan was the first case of Ebola in the U.S. and the fear of infection spread to others. Americans started to question if more people would become infected. One poll showed that nearly one in four people thought that someone in their close family would contract Ebola. Fortunately, this misconception did not occur. Today, a whole year later, no epidemic has happened here in America. In addition, people were set on edge because the media kept them updated 24/7 about the dangers of Ebola and drilled the hysteria into their heads. The news networks made a very big deal about the disease and their attitudes towards the outbreak spurred irrational fear, or hysteria, in millions. Similarly in The Crucible, once Tituba, Reverend Parris’s house slave, confesses to witchcraft the …show more content…
When witchcraft expert John Hale comes to Salem to investigate accusations of witchcraft he has a rather methodical and calm demeanor. However, as his stay progresses he feels more pressure and becomes more fearful that witches are in Salem. He questions John Proctor about his Ten Commandments and when Proctor cannot remember them all he equates the study of God to a fortress and alludes to the fact that he has no tolerance for people who do not have a strong religious beliefs. Hale is scared that crack in the fort will overrun it just like modern anti-illegal immigration activists feel illegal immigrants are overrunning their country. The opponents of illegal aliens are afraid of what they do not know. They are afraid that Mexican immigrants will steal jobs away from white workers and that, Heaven forbid, their communities become more diverse. As Hale describes a metaphorical fortress, opponents of illegal immigration are trying to build one. Even presidential candidate Donald Trump is afraid of what kinds of people are coming across the boarder. Trump’s bigoted attitude towards these people is one of fear bred from ignorance. Fear bred from ignorance is exactly what John Hale is experiencing. He is afraid of what he does not know. He does not know if John Proctor is a good person; Hale