Common Module: The Crucible (quotes)

Question 1

points in introduction (6)

Answer 1

Miller:

• 1953 tragedy play the crucible
• political allegory for the mccarthyist system during the cold war, parallel to theocratic salem witch trials
• uses characters to represent experiences and emotions in the McCarthy trials
• expose the process of decision making (experiences ➝qualities➝ emotions ➝motive➝ decisions ➝ action)
• and how internal external factors heavily influence the decision making process
• manipulate the audience to critically analyse ➝ see the world from a new perspective

Question 2

1. Who is paragraph 1 about:
2. What does Miller explore through the character
3. What does Miller attempt to reveal

Answer 2

1. Proctor
2. Miller explores the paradox of a justice system that is unjust due to the morally corrupt bounds of the system, through his tragic hero John Proctor…
3. …in order to bring ro light how experiences resonate with an individual’s qualities and core values in order to inform their decisions

Question 3

1. What is quote 1 for paragraph 1:

2. What technique/devices was used:

Answer 3

1. During Proctor’s attempt to calm the situation and save his wife from false persecution, he is betrayed by Mary warren who deceives the court about Proctor being “the devil’s man,” leading to his arrest.
2. Dramatic Irony

Question 4

What is quote 1 paragraph 1’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 4

(Mary deceives the court “the devil’s man”)
Miller’s use of dramatic irony blatantly exposes the failure in the court system, positioning Miller’s audience to view McCarthyism more critically, revealing the injustices as a result

Question 5

what is quote 2 Paragraph 1’s Explanation (storytelling) (2)

Answer 5

1.Displaying Proctor’s Pride and desire to preserve his name (legacy/reputation) as the factors that inform his unwavering integrity in the face of oppression. Thus serving as a warning to the audience about the paradoxical nature of the court (becoming the very evil it wished to destroy) due to its logical fallacies allowing for the morally just to be punished

Question 6

1. What is quote 2 for paragraph 1:

2. What technique/devices was used

Answer 6

1. Proctor’s response to danforth decision to arrest him “it is my face and yours Danforth,”
2. Proctor(pride and value reputation), Warning

Question 7

1. What is quote 3 for paragraph 1:

2. What technique/devices was used

Answer 7

1. This is further exemplified when Proctor is offered the opportunity to live in exchange for confessing to witchcraft, with Proctor prioritises his conscience and reputation “give me my Name !”
2. Proctor ( Pride fuelled integrity)

Question 8

What is quote 3 paragraph 1’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 8

going against human instinct, due to pride induced integrity preventing him from conforming to a morally corrupt society, preferring to die a martyr’s death

Question 9

what is the validation of paragraph 1 (what points where there (2))

Answer 9

• displays miller’s point : a society that succumbs to hysteria, selfish agendas, and corruption leads to the suffering of the morally strong because it is only these good people who are willing to stand against injustice
• with the execution climax of the play, Miller asserts that: only through tragedy will society learn

Question 10

1. Who is paragraph 2 about:

2. What is Miller’s message through this character (storytelling) (Topic sentence)

Answer 10

1. Mary Warren
2. exposes how the morally weak succumb to fear in pressured situations due to external influences, through his emotionally restrained character Mary Warren

Question 11

1. What is quote 1 for paragraph 2:

Answer 11

After Elizabeth Proctor ‘s arrest John Proctor takes abusive action against Mary Warren “[grasping her throat as though he would strangle her]…[he throws her to the floor where she sobs ‘ I cannot, I cannot…]”

Question 12

What is quote 1 paragraph 2’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 12

Offering a visible interpretation of Mary’s fear of punishment and pain, revealing the extent social pressures affect decision making thus unveililing the role external factors play in informing a individuals motives and ultimately people’s actions

Question 13

1. What technique/devices was used:

2. 3. What are the quotes 2 for paragraph 2:

Answer 13

1. Miller crafts dramatic pauses to build tension around Mary Warren’s Hearing.
2. Danforth’s brutal interrogation “you either lie now or where lying in the court, and either way… you will go to jail for it.”
3. contrasts with the pauses of Mary Warren’s confession “[she cannot speak]…I Cannot lie now I am with God. [but she breaks into sobs at the thought of it]

Question 14

What is quote 3 paragraph 2’s Explanation (storytelling)

the explanation and validation in one

Answer 14

uses the dramatic irony to disclose to the reader that fear induced by collective manipulation can disempower individuals and influence them to betray their morals to promote self-preservation.

Question 15

What is quote 2 paragraph 2’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 15

reflects the immense internal struggle in Mary’s ability to tell the truth, as she must suppress her fear of theocratic punishment to do so

Question 16

1. 2. What is quote 3 for paragraph 2:

3. What technique/devices was used:

Answer 16

1. Miller reveals the power of manipulation through his representation of the girls’ behaviour at Mary Warren’s hearing “Oh, Mary this is a black art to change your shape”
2. Mary’s capitulation is reflected in her powerless whimpering.…[Marry warren…overwhelmed by Abigail, and the girls’…starts to whimper…powerless]”
3. dramatic irony (lie)

Question 17

1. Who is paragraph 3 about:

2. What is Miller’s message through this character (storytelling) (Topic sentence)

Answer 17

1. Elizabeth Proctor
2. through the discussion of the contradictory cognition of the people under the inflexible conforms of McCarthyism, in order to reveal the role conflicting internal influences hold in manipulating an individual’s motives through his complex character Elizabeth Proctor

Question 18

What is quote 1 for paragraph 3

Answer 18

Miller’s use of conflict embodied in Elizabeth’s aphorism “[crying out]…I will be your wife or no wife at all! She has an arrow in you yet John Proctor.”

Question 19

What is quote 1 paragraph 3’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 19

Establishes an anguished tone, in which reflects Elizabeth’s inner turmoil between her love for John and the theocratic values she hold so highly.

Question 20

What is quote 2 for paragraph 3

Answer 20

the use of a dramatic pause as Elizabeth answers to john, “as you will, I would have it [slight pause] I want you living John. That’s for sure,”

Question 21

What is quote 2 paragraph 3’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 21

shows elizabeth’s hesitation in choosing her answer, as in one case she gets to be with john, but will be forever punished for their sins or allowing him to die in order to alleviate him of his guilt and retribution his sin.

Question 22

1. What technique/devices was used:

2. What is quote 3 for paragraph 3

Answer 22

2. During the closing scene as John marches off to his “martyr’s death “[supporting herself against collapse grips the bars of the window and with a cry] he have his goodness now. God forbid I Take it from him!”…
3. detailed stage directions

Question 23

What is quote 3 paragraph 3’s Explanation (storytelling)

Answer 23

the detailed stage directions showing the internal conflict brought on by the conflicting internal values she holds, causing Elizabeth to change answers, positioning the audience to see how paradoxical and inconsistent behaviour is brought on

Question 24

what is the validation of paragraph 3

Answer 24

• Demonstrating the role internal factors hold have in dictating an individual’s actions, allowing the audience to better understand the complexities of human behaviour

Question 25

Points of the conclusion:

1. What did he do
2. how did he do it
3. effect of this
4. consequence of the effect

Answer 25

1. Through Miller’s exploration of the human experiences in the mccarthyist justice system
2. he condemns the horrors of Mccarthyism through, enticing his audience to critically analyse the high pressure situations of the Salem witch trials.
3. Unveil the process in which decisions are created and how both internal and external factors in high pressure situations can heavily influence an individual’s actions.
4. In turn revealing the logical fallacies of the mccarthyism trials and enhancing the audiences understanding of human behaviour