The Crucible

Question 1

Puritans beliefs were sanctimonious and self righteous:

Answer 1

they believed they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world’.

Question 2

Their society is rigid and structured: ‘

Answer 2

‘their self denial, their purposefulness, their suspicion of all vain pursuits, their hard-handed justice’

Question 3

Theocracy means figures of authority were leaders of church

Answer 3

A minister is the Lord’s man in the Parish’.

Question 4

Religion is characterised as all encompassing and impenetrable, any small transgression threatens the stability of their society: Hale says:

Answer 4

‘Theology is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small’.

Question 5

Danforth sees the world in binary terms as God is infallible and any questioning of court proceedings is adverse to religion.

Answer 5

‘a person is either with the court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between’.

Question 6

Questionable and flexible sense of morals as it became

Answer 6

‘patriotic and holy’ to accuse someone of witchery. Conflict between people could be ‘elevated to the arena of morality’.

Question 7

Hale praises Tituba for her confession:

Answer 7

‘You have confessed yourself to witchcraft and that speaks a wish to come to Heaven’s side.’

Question 8

Mary Warren sees her work as genuinely good for the community:

Answer 8

‘I am amazed you do not see what weighty work we do.’

Question 9

Putnam says to Parris, declaring witchcraft is a noble thing to do:

Answer 9

‘strike out against the Devil, and the village will bless you for it’.

Question 10

Danforth says the children’s accusations are a manifestation of purity and goodness:

Answer 10

‘the voice of Heaven is speaking through the children’.

Question 11

Abigail appeals to the sense of moral responsibility:

Answer 11

‘I done my duty pointing out the devil’s people’.

Question 12

Proctor has an underlying perception of himself that he has done wrong:

Answer 12

‘he is a sinner [against] his own vision of decent conduct’ and has ‘come to regard himself as a kind of fraud’.

Question 13

When Mary Warren says Abigail will charge lechery on him:

Answer 13

‘with a deep hatred of himself’.

Question 14

Proctor is openly against Parris as he is reminded of his own guilt:

Answer 14

he preaches only ‘hellfire and damnation’ and ‘many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly even mention God any more’.

Question 15

Times of crisis bring about a disturbed sense of morality:

Answer 15

‘It’s strange work for a Christian girl to hang old women’.

Question 16

Giles Corey is the only one who feels genuine remorse for what he has done by accusing his wife inadvertently:

Answer 16

I have broke charity with the woman’.

Question 17

Proctor expresses his hopelessness at Salem and the loss of morals:

Answer 17

‘God is dead’ To Danforth: ‘you quail now when you know in all you black hearts that this be fraud’.

Question 18

Binary view of morality:

Answer 18

‘there is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning’.

Question 19

Dichotomy between good and evil:

Answer 19

‘ours is divided empire in which certain beliefs are of God and their opposites are of Lucifer.’ Pg 37 ‘two diametrically opposed absolutes’.

Question 20

Fear of the Devil used to control society:

Answer 20

‘the necessity of the Devil may become evident as a weapon…to whip mean into a surrender to a particular church.’

Question 21

Conflict over what is God’s will as various interpretations dictate one’s course of actions. Danforth thinks

Answer 21

‘as God have not empowered me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising, so I cannot withhold from them the perfection of their punishment’. While Hale argues ‘if you think God wills you to raise rebellion, Mr Danforth you are mistaken’. ‘we cannot read His will’

Question 22

Hale’s character arc shows he initially

Answer 22

‘came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion’.

Question 23

Hale has been humbled by his experience. He believes religion should be enlightening and adopts new role as healer.

Answer 23

‘where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up…’cleave to no faith when faith brings blood.’

Question 24

Life takes precedence over laws

Answer 24

‘life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious may justify the taking of it.’

Question 25

Mass hysteria fuelled by a compulsion to conform with the community

Answer 25

‘in unity still lay the best promise of safety’.

Question 26

A lack of social cohesion underpins suspicions and mistrust

Answer 26

‘social disorder…breeds such mystical suspicions and when, as in Salem, wonders are brought forth from below the social surface, it is too much to expect people to hold back very long from laying on the victims with all the force of their frustrations.’

Question 27

Difficulty in changing public opinion: John about Abigail:

Answer 27

‘if the girl’s a saint now, I think it is not easy to prove she’s a fraud, and the town gone so silly.’

Question 28

Deterioration of relationships as a result of suspicion: Hale says

Answer 28

‘there is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient friendships.’

Question 29

Danforth describes the court as:

Answer 29

‘we burn a hot fire here, it melts down all concealment’. Highlights the volatile nature of court proceedings and is ironic as they are perpetuating the lies.

Question 30

Sense of disorder permeates Salem as a result: animals wandering symbolise loss of structure

Answer 30

there are orphans wandering from house to house, abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads’.

Question 31

Lack of education and knowledge:

Answer 31

‘They had no novelists - and would not have permitted anyone to read a novel if one were handy.’

Question 32

Fear of the unknown permeated Salem:

Answer 32

‘the American continent…stood dark and threatening.’ Pg 14 Conflated ideas of the unknown lacking religion/morals: ‘to the best of their knowledge the American forest was the last place on earth that was not paying homage to God’.

Question 33

Feared frivolous pursuits such as dancing:

Answer 33

‘my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest’

Question 34

Having built their society so intrinsically on religion, religion represents security and livelihood which is why there was such a great fear of this belief being threatened.

Answer 34

‘there is fear in the country because there is a moving plot to topple Christ in the country’

Question 35

Accepting Betty screaming while the psalm is spoken as

Answer 35

‘a notorious sign of witchcraft afoot… a prodigious sign.’

Question 36

Hale represents rationality and wants undisputable proof:

Answer 36

‘I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it’.

Question 37

Acceptance of spectral evidence is a result of the fear of witchcraft:

Answer 37

‘witchcraft is ipso facto…, by its nature an invisible crime.’ ‘we must rely upon [witch’s] victims’.

Question 38

Land and ownership took priority over moral codes: ‘

Answer 38

‘long held hatreds of neighbours could now be openly expressed and vengeance taken, despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions.’

Question 39

Thomas Putnam is motivated by a desire to clear his name:

Answer 39

‘TP felt that his own name and the honour of his family had been smirched by the village, and he meant to right matters however he could’.

Question 40

Motivations for accusing Rebecca nurse:

Answer 40

‘they feel resentful of her note of moral superiority’. Accusations were a manifestation of insecurity and inadequacy.

Question 41

Proctor believes accusations were fuelled by retaliation:

Answer 41

‘vengeance is waking Salem.’

Question 42

Giles Corey explains how Thomas Putnam coerced Ruth to accuse George Jacobs so he could eventually claim his land:

Answer 42

‘this man is killing their neighbours for their land’.

Question 43

Parris is worried about his reputation

Answer 43

‘if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me it’

Question 44

Abigail’s perception in the village and her defensiveness

Answer 44

‘they want slaves, not such as I. Let them send to Barbados for that. I will not black my face for any of them.’

Question 45

Only initially dismisses witchcraft as he fears his reputation, not as a result of rationality:

Answer 45

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

Question 46

Moment when Proctor confesses to adultery shows how his moral compass/desire for justice takes precedence over his inclination to preserve his reputation:

Answer 46

‘it is a whore’s vengeance’. ‘I have rung the doom of my good name’.

Question 47

Danforth lacks conviction for continuing with the trials, save for the fact that he can’t present a weakened resolve to the town and reverse his stance.

Answer 47

‘I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just’. Distorted sense of justice where reputation takes precedence over what is right. ‘reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now.’

Question 48

John prefers his life to be taken over his name as his name determines his perception and worth in the community.

Answer 48

‘How may I teach [my children] to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends.’ ‘I have given you my soul; leave me my name’.

Question 49

Tituba at the bottom of the social hierarchy as a women of colour:

Answer 49

‘trouble in her house eventually lands on her back’.

Question 50

Being part of the court proceedings give her a sense of importance: Mary

Answer 50

‘she raises up her chin like the daughter of a prince’.

Question 51

John Proctor feels he is the victim of Elizabeth’s unfair judgement of him;

Answer 51

‘I come into a court when I come into this house.’ And ‘your justice would freeze beer.’

Question 52

Mrs Putnam’s grief as a mother losing children, takes an active approach to seek answers:

Answer 52

‘I have laid seven babies un-baptized in the earth.’ ‘[tituba] who else may tell us what person murdered my babies.’

Question 53

Abigail asserts her power by threatening the other girls:

Answer 53

‘I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you’. Pg 26
Holds immense power over the girls: ‘Abigail brings the other girls into the court and where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel’. Pg 53

Question 54

Elizabeth assuredly defends herself and other virtuous women, dismissing accusations of witchcraft:

Answer 54

‘if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then…I do not believe it.’

Question 55

Women show autonomy through their defiance. Rebecca Nurse refuses to confess:

Answer 55

‘Rebecca have not given me a word this three month since she came’.

Question 56

Expressing sexuality is inherently bad:

Answer 56

sex, sin and the devil were early linked.’ Pg 39

Question 57

Children were expected to be submissive and pliable:

Answer 57

‘He…like the rest of Salem, never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak.’

Question 58

Children now have power and sway over court proceedings: Proctor says:

Answer 58

‘little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom

Question 59

Witch hunt was a result of power shift from society to the individual:

Answer 59

‘The witch hunt was a perverse manifestation of the panic which set in among all classes when the balance began to turn toward greater individual freedom’

Question 60

Preserves his integrity and maintains his power: GILES

Answer 60

: ‘he stand mute and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm’.