The Crucible

Exposition

The first component of the plot which provides background information. Includes the physical setting as well as the social and historical influences. Miller uses dramatic exposition which is a narration that describes historical and social background to the audience characters do not hear the exposition

Stage directions

Provides actors with information about how their characters should dress and act. Stage directions are italicized comments that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give further information about a character, or provide background information. Stage directions also help readers visualize how a character would behave.

Dialogue

Authors also use dialogue, or conversation between two or more characters. Characters can be developed through the use of dialogue both through what they say and by what other characters say about them—indirect characterization.

Motivation

A force or stimulus that gives the character a reason to act the way he does, or make the decisions he makes. We can learn about a character’s motivations and personality from the author’s use of direct and indirect characterization.

Indirect characterization

• The author gives information about a character and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about that character. Two of the ways we can learn about a character through indirect characterization are through:

  • The character’s own thoughts, feelings and actions

  • What other characters say or feel or how they act towards the character

Direct characterization

The author or narrator directly tells the reader what a character is like

Conflict

• Conflict - a literary term used to identify the struggle between two or more opposing forces. If conflict is written well, it can create a feeling of suspense, tension, and intrigue. There are several types of conflict.

  • (External) Man versus man—struggle between two or more characters

  • (Internal) Man versus himself—struggle between a character and his conscience, morals, or physical limitations

  • (External) Man versus nature—struggle between a character and a force of nature such as weather or the environment

  • (External) Man versus society—struggle between a character and the rules, beliefs, or pressures of a society or community

  • (Internal, at times) Man versus fate—struggle between a character and the “forces” of the universe, such as God, destiny, or chance happenings

Tragedy

To be a true tragedy, a play must make the audience pity the characters and make them fear the same consequences the character (usually the protagonist) experiences.

Rev. Parris

• Main motivation - To keep his reputation clean. To retain his position as Reverend of Salem

• Main conflict - He is not well-liked and has many enemies

• Personality - Self-serving, selfish, arrogant

• Effect on plot - Calls Hale of Salem. Was not honest about events because he wanted to save his reputation

Tituba

• Main motivation - to stay out of trouble

• Main conflict - first to be accused

• Personality - Concerned, easily influenced

• Effect on plot - Claims she is guilty after pressure and threats. Accuses Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn

John Proctor

• Main motivation - To get beyond his guilt. To keep his marriage from falling apart

• Main conflict - His affair with Abigail

• Personality - Strong, driven, guilty

• Effect on plot - The driving force behind Abigail’s malice and vengeance

Elizabeth Proctor

• Main motivation - Wants to protect John and keep her family stable.

• Main conflict - Feels conflicted because of John’s affair. Was accused by Abigail because she wants to take her spot

• Personality - quiet, virtuous, gentle, devoted

• Effect on plot - Lies about John’s affair which gets him into more trouble. Influences John Proctor’s actions and decisions (inspires him to pick the more righteous path)

Rev. Hale

• Main motivation - To seek and convict witches in Salem

• Main conflict - Getting to the truth of what’s happening in Salem

• Personality - Calm, focused, educated, stable

• Effect on plot - Interviews accusers. Tries to get down to the truth of what’s happening in Salem

Giles Corey

• Main motivation - To keep Parris and Putnam honest. To keep order

• Main conflict - Not very well respected because he is old. Is considered to be a joke

• Personality - Witty, strong, wise

• Effect on plot - Supports John against Parris and Putnam. Acts as a mediator

Abby Williams

• Main motivation - to be with John Proctor

• Main conflict - she is unable to be with John because he and Elizabeth are still married. Abigail wants to get rid of Elizabeth

• Personality - Conniving, lustful, vengeful, controlling, manipulative

• Effect on plot - After Tituba is forced to confess, Abigail jumps in and begins accusing others

Mary Warren

• Main motivation - Wants to fit in which leads her to join the accusations.

• Main conflict - Is pressured into testifying by John Proctor. Is threatened by Abigail to keep her mouth shut.

• Personality - Timid, easily manipulated, fearful

• Effect on plot - Joins the girls in accusing people. Defends Elizabeth when she is accused in court. Is forced by John Proctor to testify in court for Elizabeth. Is pressured by the girls into saying that John was associating with the devil which causes him to be convicted.

Mr. Putnam

• Main motivation - to gain as much land and property as possible and to keep order by pointing the finger at others

• Main conflict - Not well-liked, not trusted by the community

• Personality - Rude, arrogant, self-centered

• Effect on plot - Jumps to accusations of witchcraft

Tragic Hero

• Tragic hero - A protagonist with a fatal flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. Is a happy, powerful, and privileged man who ends up dying or suffering immensely because of his own actions or mistakes.

• Tragic hero must have 4 characteristics

  • Goodness (a moral and ethical person)

  • Superiority (someone with supreme or noble authority or control)

  • A tragic flaw (will eventually lead to his own demise)

  • The eventual realization that his decisions or actions have caused his downfall (faces suffering with honor)

• Usually the realization of tragic flaw results in epiphany (a sudden realization by the character, audience, or both), and a catharsis (a release of emotions, which makes the audience feel more at peace)

Who is a tragic hero in The Crucible?

• John Proctor is a tragic hero

  • Goodness - Is a moral person. Feels shame for his actions throughout the story and tries to redeem himself. Follows his morals and beliefs by refusing to let his confession be publicly hung up

  • Superiority - John Proctor owns a lot of land and is considered an independent and strong man with integrity, making him well-respected among the townspeople

  • A tragic flaw - Pride, lust, honesty, and guilt

  • The eventual realization - Realizes his demise when he confesses to his crimes and signs the paper. John tears up the paper.

Pun

• Pun - A form of word play that suggest one or more meanings

  • “And what of these proceedings here? When will you proceed to keep this house?”

Hyperbole

• Hyperbole - Exaggerated statements/claims not meant to be taken literally

  • “Your justice would freeze beer”

  • “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time, but I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again”

Metaphor

• Metaphor - Comparison not using like or as

  • “Your name in the town, it is entirely white is it not?”

  • “Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small”

Personification

• Personification - The act of attributing human characteristics to inanimate objects

  • “I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem. Vengeance is walking Salem”

Simile

• Simile - A comparison using like or a

  • “And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest?”

  • “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!”

  • “I will fall like an ocean on that court!”

Allusion

• Allusion - Reference to a specific moment, piece of art, history, entertainment, religion, mythology, or politics, without directly mentioning it. Deepens the meaning of the work if you’re familiar with the reference

  • “Pontius Pilate! God will not let you wash your hands of this”

  • “Mr. Hale, as God have not empowered me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising”

  • “Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in heaven”

Parris urges Abigail to tell him the truth about what happens in the woods: “It must come out—my enemies will bring it out. Let me know what you done there. Abigail, do you understand that I have many enemies?”

• Opposing forces - Parris vs. certain members of the community

• Type of conflict - Man vs. society

• Subordinate

Abigail defends her name in the town: “She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!”

• Opposing force - Abigail vs. Elizabeth

• Type of conflict - Man vs. man

• Main

John Proctor rejects Abigail: “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.”

• Opposing forces - John Proctor vs. Abigail

• Type of conflict - Man vs. man

• Main

Giles comments on recent events: “Wherefore is everybody suing everybody else? Think on it now, it’s a deep thing, and dark as a pit. I have been six time in court this year—”

• Opposing forces - Giles vs. Salem’s townspeople

• Type of conflict - Man vs. society

• Subordinate

Parris and Putnam threaten to whip and hang Tituba, and she begs for her life: “No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir.”

• Opposing forces - Parris and Putnam vs. Tituba

• Type of conflict - Man vs. society

• Subordinate

Proctor is plagued by guilt: “But I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed! Some dream I had must have mistaken you for God that day. But you’re not, you’re not, and let you remember it! Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not.”

• Opposing forces - Proctor vs. his guilt

• Type of conflict - Man vs. himself

• Main

Hale questions Proctor: “I thought, sir, to put some questions as to the Christian character of this house, if you’ll permit me.”

• Opposing forces - Proctor vs. Hale

• Type of conflict - Man vs. man

• Main

Elizabeth learns of Abigail’s charge: “Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were found stuck into her belly—“

• Opposing forces - Elizabeth vs. Abigail

• Type of conflict - Man vs. man

• Main