Week 6 - HW2

Write a paragraph explaining the connection between the McCarthy era and the play. Be concise and prioritise your ideas. Think and plan before you write! Post to your blog before Monday's lesson.

There is a large and strong connection between the McCarthy era and The Crucible, as both accusing people who were innocent and were the result of hysteria. Miller wrote the play during 1954, and was criticized by some who claimed there were never any real witches, to which he responded, “this play is not history…” He experienced, first-hand, the McCarthy era, as he was accused of a communist-sympathizer. Miller’s simple response to this was to point out that anybody denying the existence of witches, in 1692, would have been executed. Many people in the village of Salem would hound each other until the other admitted they were a witch or died “guilty”. McCarthy also hounded the supposed Communists until they admitted, even if they weren’t. Miller has stated, “If I hadn’t written The Crucible that period would be unregistered in our literature…” Even though there is a strong connection, McCarthy and his followers still believed there were communists in the Government after the era.

Week 6

Is John Proctor a hero or not? We have debated this in class. Now choose the most effective point in the argument for or against and write a paragraph on this point with a really effective topic sentence and evidence from the play in support. Include at least one correctly punctuated quotation. Post to your blog for tomorrow’s lesson.

John Proctor is a hero because he stood up in what he believed in and nobody was able to change his mind. After Proctor was condemned to hang, he and Elizabeth had some time to talk about some things. He asked her what he should do, to which she replied, “…it comes to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself. It is not my soul John, if is yours” (pg 119). Elizabeth is implying John must start to make his own decisions in his life. She will not care what he does because it is not her life at stake, but she wants John to stand up to what he believes in. Proctor goes through the confession process, and then realizes he does not want to live his life on a lie. He takes back his confession, tearing it up, and cursing all those who kill in the Lord’s name. He is taken to he gallows. Hale tries to convince John and Elizabeth to think about what they have both condemned John to do, but all she can say is, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him” (pg 126). Proctor is an unlikely hero who trusts in his heart to make the right choices deemed by himself.

Term 2 Week 5 Homework

Why do you think John Proctor decides to confess? Why does he change his mind? Give evidence for both your answers. Post on your blog before Friday's lesson.

Proctor, in the beginning, asked his wife what she wanted him to do. He believed that he could not walk from one spot to another without Goody Proctors guidance and approval. However, Elizabeth does not want to have her husband on a leash all his life and tells him, “It is not for me to give.” He asks her forgiveness because he knows that he has done the wrong thing by committing adultery and he believes he will feel better by asking forgiveness. She then says, “.,.it come to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself…It is not my soul, John, it is yours…Whatever you do, do it as a good man does it.” Elizabeth still believes John is a good man, but he has to forgive his own sins before he can move on. He dwelled upon the fact he committed adultery and had changed as a person because of it. He then decides he wants to live his life with Elizabeth and his children. After John signed his name on the paper, he then tears it up because he realized he would not be able to go through with the lie. He cries “…because it is my name, and I will not have another in my life…” Proctor cannot go through with this lie because it will blacken his name against God’s book and he will be sent to hell. Taking back his confession, he finds the strength in himself to stand straight and proud when hanged and Elizabeth says, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” She is proud of Proctor because he was able to stand up to himself and make a choice he was happy with.

Week 4 Homework 1&2

1) Read Danforth’s speech to Elizabeth at the top of page 116. It begins “Goody Proctor, you are not summoned here for disputation." Danforth has asked Elizabeth to speak to John to try to get him to admit his guilt. Elizabeth does speak to John but she does not reply to Danforth. Construct a response to Danforth. What do you think she might have wanted to say to him in response to his accusation that she is "stone"? Make your response as long as Danforth's speech. Due Friday. Post on your blog.

“Mr Danforth, I would like to speak to my husband. I give you to the devil so he may show you the difference between right and wrong. You tell me my heart is stone, yet, you, have signed death warrants for seventy innocent people. Are you not ashamed? I have sat in my cell, looking out at the world passing by, and wonder what barbarian a person is if they kill others. Every day, more and more people are thrown into cells, and every day, more die. Do you consider why some stand proud? All are Innocent and are dying, I tell you Mr Danforth! This community is made up of various souls and you’re taking advantage of a person’s land and belongings while they are not home. John will listen to my advice and make then make his own decision. That is his right. I do not carry the burden of his soul.”

2) Re-read the final scene between John and Elizabeth. Elizabeth refuses to advise her husband but she clearly has a point of view on his situation. In her heart, what does want him to do? What would she say to him if she could? Post to your blog before Monday's lesson.

Elizabeth wants her husband to do what he feels is right, however she wants John to declare that he is guilty so they may spend the rest of their lives together. However, at the back of her mind, she still feels betrayed John conducting Adultery and believes he should do the right thing, in her mind, by confessing to committing this and then she can safely relax. However, Elizabeth is not one to trust, as she is two-faced. “John, you can see the errors of your wrong-doing. Put a stop to this curse and face your fears. Even if all can see your name on this paper, it will do no harm to you physically. Please see these errors and turn your back on them. Face me and then we will be allowed to go home and see the children.” Elizabeth wants what is best for her and her children, but she still doesn't trust John. 

Homework task Week 3 - Act 1 Mr Hale

The Crucible Act 1

In his introduction of John Hale starting on page 37, what attitude does Arthur Miller take to the belief in the devil/evil spirits? Write a paragraph response using quotations in support of your explanation. This is quite a difficult passage. You will need to read it carefully and give your response some thought. Post on your blog by Tuesday 8.20

Arthur Miller describes his attitude towards most evil spirits through his description of Reverend Hale, his “unique knowledge” of the devil. Like Hale, we, Miller and most of our modern society, believe the Devil is not rubbish, it is a reality! But, Millers tone as he describes the spirit world and Hale, in long ravenous sentences, makes the reader feel almost bored, with the fact there is a devil. He is also straight with, what he believes to be the fact. Hale tells everyone, “We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise.” Miller postulates: there is a divided opinion; of good and evil. It is scientifically justified because positive and negative forces are related: if there is no heaven, there cannot be a hell. Miller explored the birth of religion as a, “methodical inculcation into humanity”. In the capitalistic world, the government becomes the judge. Where as in the communistic world of the 1950s, there is no religion, yet the opposing forces of good and evil still exist. The effect of the devil is no different from Salem times to now, except in degree of cruelty, with mans secret intent left to priests to judge. Now, many European Church’s are sharp-eyed when challenged by old Gods. Miller looked at his own world full of capitalists and communists and posed the one question, “If there were no witches/devil/evil spirits in Salem during 1692, why are there good and bad things now?”

Homework W2

In LEAP English at School, we are reading the Crucible. For our first homework task we have to: Choose two characters - one to whom you respond positively and one to you respond negatively. What aspects of the text have positioned you to respond this way? You may want to consider representations, characterization and voice. Quote in support.

Negative Character - Abagail
Abby starts off like a nice young, teenage girl, but as the play progresses, you find that she is not all that she seems. She lies face to face to her Uncle Parris. "We did dance, Uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there's the whole of it ... we never conjured spirits." When in fact, Abby wanted Tituba (their Barbados maid) to place a curse on John Proctor's wife so she may take Mrs Proctor's place. When Abby was working for the Proctors, John came into her room and his wife caught them out. She never has trusted him since. Near the end of Act one, Tituba confessed using witchcraft and she said there were others with the devil. Abby and Betty join in saying different peoples name, shouting out they had seen many people walking with Lucifer. It seems farfetched that all ten people mentioned had made a pact with the devil to overthrow heaven. Also, at the end, Abby is just shouting out any old name of someone who she doesn't like or holds a grudge against. "I saw Bridget Bishop ... Goody Sibber ... Goody Hawkins ... Goody Bibber..." and the horrible thing is most people believe in what she is saying!

Positive Character - John Proctor
Although not mentioned very often, John Proctor would have to be one of the most interesting characters in the entire play (at this point). Even though many people talk about him behind his back, he holds his head up high and continues doing his own thing. Even though he and his wife has had many an arguing over miscellaneous things/people, he is still faithful to his wife. He upholds a strict household, and when he finds Mary Warren (his new servant girl) not in the house helping his wife he shouts "I forbid you to leave the house ... I am looking for you more often than my cows." Even though he may sound harsh, he is soft and gooey on the inside. It has taken me a while to write about a character which I think of in a positive way. Most of the characters seem to hold a grudge against one another and none of them talk to each other in a conversational tone, they are all shown by their faults only, and I believe Arthur Miller wrote it this way, to show what a horrible place Saelem is.