The Crucible, Arthur Miller - Eg200

'pride comes before a fall' - THEME

actions and choices are motivated by pride - self reputation is more important than greater good.

'appearance vs reality' - THEME

look for the devil within - witch hunters search for evil physically eg pins in dolls, suspicious book, but fail to examine the real evil in peoples hearts

'the individual vs the group' - THEME

the individual is a threat to the community. Group pressure is powerful. Democracy follows the will of people, yet people are not always right.

'freedom vs conformity' - THEME

conformity is oppressive and stifling. Non-conformity = evil, conformity = good/godly.

'order and chaos' - THEME

puritan community based on order, at what cost?

'puritan ethics' - THEME

how can Christians in a community founded on Puritan ethics from the bible behave in a manner that is so un-Christian?

'honesty/truth vs fear' - THEME

is it more important to uphold the truth than to protect your life?

'innocence and guilt' - THEME

who defines innocence and guilt? How can guilty people be allowed to manipulate a legal system to persecute others?

"your name in town - it is entirely white, is it not?"

Parris to Abigail

"the devil's touch is heavier than sick. It's death, y'know, it's death drivin' into them, forked and hoofed."

Mrs Putnam to Parris

"we cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such a corruption in my house."

Parris

"I have seen you since she (Elizabeth Proctor) put me out; I have seen you nights... I have a sense for heat, John, and yours has drawn me to my window".

Abigail to Proctor

"I never knew what pretence Salem was, I never knew what lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men!"

Abigail

"last night - mark this - I tried and tried and could not say my prayers. And then she close her book and walks out of the house and suddenly - mark this - I could pray again!"

Giles to Hale about his wife Martha

"oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!"

Proctor to Elizabeth

"theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small".

Hale to Proctor

"man, remember before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in heaven"

Hale

"and he (Parris) goes to save her (Abigail), and stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he drew a needle out. And demandin' of her how she come to be so stabbed, she - testify it were your wife's familiar spirit pushed it in"

Cheever to Proctor

"Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers?"

Proctor

"the voice of Heaven is speaking through these children?"

Danforth (heaven)

"a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between".

Danforth (court)

"he freeze his soul in Massachusetts, but in Barbados he just and sweet"

Tituba on God

"how may I live without my name! I have given you my soul; leave my name!"

Proctor on not confessing