Before you read Arthur Miller's The Crucible, you need to understand the context of two epochs of American history: The Puritans and McCarthyism. Research the concepts below using the links provided. Your goal is to take brief notes so you have a working knowledge of these periods. You know you've done enough research when you can put your notes down and explain to a friend what the era was about.

 

Puritans

 

Time period

Puritan lifestyle

Sin and predestination

Fear in this community

The Salem Witch Trials

 

 Salem

 Puritanism in America 

 Salem Witch Trials

McCarthyism

 

Time period

The Cold War

Senator Joseph McCarthy

Blacklisting

The House Un-American Activities Committee

 

 McCarthyism

 The Cold War

 

Recall the Context questions you should ask yourself when conducting a close reading of a text and strive to answer them as you research the context of The Crucible:

 

When was the text written?

What was going on in the world at this time?

What historical, social, or political events might he author be responding to?

What circumstances in the world give rise to the composition of the text?

What personal experiences or observations of the author give rise to the text?

Is the author's timing of the text particularly good or bad?

Are there any values, opinions, beliefs, philosophies, controversies, or opinions that help explain the text?

Do you see the connection between the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism? Now, read and annotate " Why I Wrote The Crucible" by Arthur Miller.

 

 

Now that you understand the big picture, you can start reading The Crucible. As you read, you will keep a dialectical journal focusing on how Miller uses these characters to show society its errors. You are responsible for a total of eight entries, two per act, for the play. Your entries should follow the format below:

Quote 1:

 

Choose eight total quotations throughout the play that show the historical context and support Miller's purpose. Choose quotations that enable you to discuss Miller's purpose.

 

Citation: Include the title of the act and the page number on which the quotation appears.

 

Your Response

 

Context Directions: First, first write a full explanation of the context of your quotation. You should also include details from the reading that show that you read and understood the work.

 

Response Directions: Write the response to the quotation. You may include observations, revelations, questions, reflective musings, and any other thoughts about the quotation's significance. Prove that you read and understand the historical context of the play, that you did your research, and that you understand Miller's purpose. Do not over-summarize.

 

Look at the example below. (You may not use the quotation below on your assignment.)

 

Example:

 

"They believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world. We have inherited this belief, and it has helped and hurt us."

 

Act I, page 5 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Context: This quotation is part of the introduction to the play, right after Miller sets the scene, but before we meet any characters. Miller is discussing the Puritans as people with a mission. He explains that they tried to convert the Native Americans without success, and that the forest became evil because it was where the "heathens" resided. Miller comments on "parochial snobbery" and the "air of resistance" the Puritans held. All of this opens the door for the witch trials, as the Puritans were clearly so set in their ways and scared of change. Miller includes the "we" here to force readers to look at themselves and their own resistance to change and their own "hunt" for a bad guy / scapegoat. He was speaking to his 1950s era audience here, hinting, for the first time, that this story will be familiar.

 

 

Response: This part of the play is important. I've often heard that America is rooted in "Puritanical beliefs," and Miller is discussing this here. He also sets up readers to see the characters as people who believe they are morally supreme, a trait which I do not admire. I can already see that a group of people with such an attitude will run into trouble! I know there was strong reaction to this play, but I wonder what the House Un-American Activities Committee would have thought. Would it be possible for them to see the error of their ways through this piece of literature?

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Status NEW Posted 07 Jul 2017 03:07 AM My Price 10.00

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