Giles Corey

group of girls led by Abigail Williams, which was supported by many prominent figures in the colony. This book taught me that it is hard to go against the majority in a society. It is a struggle to go against what is “accepted”. John Proctor and Giles Corey refused to plead guilty despite huge efforts by those in the colony to pressure them into it. As a result, they both died. They decided to go against the majority and despite the oppression and the hatred they received, they had peace of mind…

The McCarthy era is a time where thousands of Americans were accused of being affiliated with communists or communism and brought before the government for investigations and trials. In the Salem Witch Trials innocent people were accused of being witches. People were brought before the courts where in order to save their own lives they accused others of being witches and using witchcraft to take the blame off of themselves. In both instances, many people's lives were destroyed and the social,…

The Salem Witch Trials are known as some of the most notorious and infamous phenomena to ever occur in early American history. Historians who have studied these series of events have yet to determine an exact cause(s) as to why these events occurred. One explanation is that in Salem, people would accuse victims based on superstitions or unexplained events rather than use scientifically proven facts. Consequently, this flaw, along with a religiously-based court system and biased trials led to…

The Crucible is about a small group of teen girls in Salem, Massachusetts. The girls created a potion, with the help of a black slave, Tituba, to catch young men. They are forced to tell lies that the Devil had invaded them and forced them to participate in the rites and are then forced to name those involved. One of the girls was infatuated with a married man and determined to get rid of his innocent wife. During the trials, those who demanded their innocence were executed, those who would not…

to live, but the ones who are telling the truth (who don’t confess to being witches) are forced to die. The ones who confess, such as Tituba and Sarah Good, are shown mercy, but the ones who don’t, such as John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, are shown nothing, no mercy and no grace. These actions are what causes misconceptions about the Puritans lacking…

inhumane punishments. This quote stated by Elizabeth shows the barbaric punishment some had to face. “Great stones they laid upon his chest until he plead aye or nay. They say he gave them two words “more weight” he says and died” (Miller 1269). Giles Corey stayed true to what he believed in causing him to face this harsh punishment . This quote shows how diverse punishments were. “I have seen marvels in this court. I have seen people chocked before my eyes by spirits . I have seen them stuck by…

Mass hysteria has the potential to tear a community apart as demonstrated in The Crucible. What is hysteria? “It is defined as an overwhelming fear and excitement that overrides all logic, and is often enhanced and intensified by the presence of others who are acting out on that fear” (Campbell). That theme is common throughout the play written by Arthur Miller. From the beginning, where the witchery begins to John Proctor getting hung, the little town of Salem undergoes major changes. That is…

Most have heard of the witch trials that took place in Salem Village in the late 1600s. According to historians, these trials are Puritans’ final attempt in trying to preserve their religion. The famous Salem witch trials captured the attention of thousands over the years, thanks to the trials’ gory legend. Astonished by these trials, movie producers saw the potential of making a captivating movie within the folklore surrounding the trials, but sometimes they focus too much on the legend…

A man named Giles Corey, who was accused of witchcraft refused to stand trial and was crushed to death (6). This, Rev. Burroughs’ prayer, and a letter written by an accused asking “if it be possible, that no more innocent blood be shed, which undoubtedly cannot be avoided…

Arthur Miller, the playwright of The Crucible, once said, “I think the tragic feeling is invoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing -- his sense of personal dignity.” This quote relates to The Crucible because John Proctor, a man who was accused of being a witch, and many others had lost their dignity after being accused. Also during the Red Scare, many people lost their dignity after being accused. The Crucible…