The Crucible by Arthur Miller

1. The Crucible by Arthur Miller was a very interesting piece to read. The Crucible is about a small town Salem in Massachusetts in which they convicted witchcraft trials. Those who didn’t confess were to be hanged, those who did confess were to spend their lives in jail. It was very overwhelming to read. It took my breath away to read how these trials were based on people’s opinion. The girls that were accusing other people of witchcraft had the judges in the palm of their hands. Making them believe every word they say, including the leader of them all Abigail Williams. Niece of Reverend Parris who is to believe in them for the sickness of his daughter Betty. I believe that these girls who were caught doing witchcraft didn’t want to be the ones accused, so they blamed other innocent people, so that they may not be convicted of witchcraft. It lead so far for them to accuse people they did not like, for example Abigail Williams accused Elizabeth Proctor for moving her to the high road. Abigail wanted John Proctor to herself, yet he wouldn’t give up himself for her. He was then put to jail for witchcraft and later hanged. He could have confessed and lived another day. Yet, his heart was determined and so was his faith, that he did no such thing. He was hanged that day, and was known for an innocent man. In the end after all the hanging of those poor people, Abigail disappeared with the money of Reverend Parris so that she may never get caught of her tied up lies. 
2. The film version of The Crucible had some differences and similarities. In the beginning of the movie it showed the actual witchcraft taking place by the young girls and Tituba, as for the reading in the beginning took place where Reverend Parris is praying beside his daughter Betty as she sleeps. Another difference, in the film when John Proctor arrives to Reverends house, he sees Abigail. He goes back to his horse to get ready to leave, yet she stops him, kisses him, and confesses her love. In the reading, Proctor was alone in the room where Betty sleeps with Abigail confessing her love, then he witnesses as Betty rises and speaks. In my honest opinion, I believe the most important difference was the ending to the film, as Rebecca, Martha, and John were being hanged they were reciting the Our Father. As for the reading, it ended on the note of Elizabeth watching her husband do the right thing and not confess.  
3. The Crucible was to believe that it was showing a connection to the McCarthy’s Campaign. In the 1940s-1950s a young senator name Joseph McCarthy made a “public accusation of card-carrying communists had infiltrated the United states government.” He was then denied, yet that didn’t stop him. He formed the anti-Communist known as the McCarthyism, the paranoid hunt for infiltrators. Many went to trial, having to give up their passports or go to jail in which they refused to give up the names of other communists. The Salem Witchcraft trials, was said to be similar to the McCarthy’s campaign for they were being accused of something and instead of taking blame they blamed it on others to keep their name safe. By the time it was 1954, all hell was settled down and the trials were no longer continuing, as for the Salem Witchcraft trials was stopped after having to hang more people for their accusations. 
4. In other further studies, many began to question the Salem Witchcraft trials. Many people pondered against the truth of witches, yet as they looked in on it they found the truth behind all the chaos. Other theories were later discovered, one theory indicated a food poisoning called Ergot. It was believed that Ergot was a mold that grew on rye, one of the Puritan’s most important food source. This mold causes you to hallucinate and believe to see things. Some may argue against this for only the girls were hallucinating and no one else in the town. Another theory was said to be Mass Hysteria, the girls of Salem caught a mental illness from the brew they were cooking, having them go delirious. All these theories were still very hard to prove considering there low amount on evidence, the Salem Witchcraft trials is still a mystery to everyone today. 
5. In conclusion of The Crucible, I believe it showed a meaning towards the world. Salem Witchcraft trials was to alert people of their sins and to trust in God. People can say it was a crucial time of the era, for nineteen people were hung and one hundred and sixty were accused. The trials had exploded after the death of John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey. During my experience, both watching and reading this play write made it hard to believe it even occurred. For such nonsense and violence that has happened in a small town, woke up the many lives that lived there. I do hope for the future, that something so horrible like the Salem Witchcraft trials to never happen again.