- First, read the article I have adapted/modified from Mel Gussow's review of a 1990 play performance of The Crucible. This article is included in this post below.
- As you read, make note of the things I have bolded.
- Then, create a comment that answers the tasks at the bottom of this post. (Look below the article).
By MEL GUSSOW (March 30, 1990)
he Crucible'' is not only Arthur Miller's most-produced play; it has also become his most continually relevant work of political theater. By focusing on the Salem witch hunts of the 17th century, the playwright placed the outrage of McCarthyism in historical perspective and created a drama that has remained meaningful to succeeding generations...In the hands of different directors and actors, and with slight alteration in emphasis, each of the three revivals [of Miller's original drama] illustrates the consequential themes of the play: the epidemic of evil, the perversion of religion and civil order and the way that decency can outlive even the most disquieting events. For the playwright, justice and jurisprudence will always triumph over the immediate inequities of the legal system.
The law in various guises permeates Mr. Miller's work. Plays from ''All My Sons'' through ''After the Fall'' and his recent one-acts operate in a courtroom of ideas. In this sense, Salem, at the time of the witch hunt, becomes the crucible for tyranny, as the innocent are considered guilty even in the light of evidence to the contrary.''Black mischief'' and fear are loose, and neighbor deserts neighbor. For the time of the play, all reason has absented itself. To be ''somewhat mentioned'' in a preliminary hearing is tantamount to being condemned to death...
In Mr. Miller's apt words, the play deals with ''one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history.'' Though the basic events are true, one always greets them with incredulity. Even today, with formerly repressive nations promoting individual liberty, the scourge that the playwright first identified in the 1950's remains a lingering global presence. In revival, ''The Crucible'' leaves disturbing reverberations.
Now, I want you to create a comment that addresses the following:
- Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
- In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
Make sure you include your full name in your comment. If you don't, I won't know who posted and who didn't. I have included an example comment so you know what my expectations are.
THIS IS THE EXAMPLE COMMENT :-)
ReplyDeleteName: Mrs. Sampson
1. Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
DISCLAIMER: I have not actually written a correct answer in this post because I don't want to "steal" anyone's answer. However, I want you to model your depth off of this example.
I believe the author is most closely describing irony in the first paragraph. The way the author of this article mentions the relevancy of The Crucible and explains how it demonstrates unexpected outcomes really connects to our discussion of irony. Since we identified and discussed three different types of irony, it makes sense that the author of this article mentions three types of irony.
2. In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
DISCLAIMER: Again, my response below is NOT a correct answer. I don't want to steal any potential thoughts. Even though it is incorrect, I want you to model the depth or level of explanation off of this example.
The theme of "justice will always override negativity" which is mentioned in the 2nd paragraph connects to the word misogyny. This theme is connected to the concept of misogyny because justice is something that should be experienced by all people--even women. When Arthur Miller develops the theme that justice should override negativity, he is directly referencing the disrespect that Parris has for women. This demonstrates Miller's desire for change which he then communicates in the form of a theme.
Name: Sophie Dion-Kirschner
ReplyDelete1. Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
I think allegory is the closest description of what is referenced in the first paragraph of the article. Instead of writing a play about how stupid people were for accusing each other of being communists, which some people may have ignored as much as people now ignore those complaining about security lines at an airport, he compared it to a historical happening, which we all can see, now, was completely ridiculous. Comparing an event with a different event to make a point is using an allegory.
2. In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
One theme of the play, stated in the second paragraph, is that 'decency can outlive even the most disquieting events'. And how does decency ever outlive disquieting events? Integrity. The very definition of integrity is to stand by your morals, values, or beliefs, even in the face of trouble. John Proctor was so close to confessing, he signed his name onto the paper. But even in the face of the hanging, he realized he would not ever live happily if he wrongly confessed to being a wizard - something that went against every moral he had. So instead, using integrity, he ripped the paper, took the confession, and was hanged for what he believed in.
Molly Devine
ReplyDelete1. The concept that is being referred to in the first paragraph that we went over in class would be symbolism. By explain the events and reactions that occurred in Salem he is representing the events and reactions that people were having during the current time dealing with McCarthyism. The author of The Crucible is showing how peoples fear of McCarthyism is exactly the same as people fearing witches in Salem.
2. A theme found in The Crucible is 'the epidemic of evil'. This theme explains how ideas and fears spread so quickly and a word that can relate to that is hysteria. Hysteria is the extreme fear of something and people at the time had an extreme fear of witches and the fear continued to grow more and more throughout the people of Salem like an epidemic.
Amelia Moore
ReplyDelete1. I believe that ethos is what the review is describing most about the The Crucible. Ethos is the type of persuasion that plays to th readers ethics. In this review, he is talking a lot about all of the lessons that are taught and learned in The Crucible and all of these examples really plays with ethics. People know what is right and wrong and review really adresses how this play explains what is right and wrond.
2. I am connecting integrity and the witch hunts were the crucible for tyranny and how innocent peolpe were still persecuted even when there was a lot of evidence against it. I think that this lesson has a lot to do with integrity, Lots of people saw what was going on and knew that it was wrong and didn't do anything about it out of fear that they would be persecuted as well. Integrity is having the courage to do what is right and the majority of people failed to have integrity during the witch hunts.
Name: Miranda Sorensen
ReplyDelete1.Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
I believe that the aurthor is describing theme in the first paragraph of this article. The use of the bold words tells us that it is theme that she is talking about. The author says," illustrates the consequential themes of the play", really is her telling us that she is talking about theme. But even if the author wasn't to say that you would be able to tell if the author was talking about theme becuase the themes that she is describing. She isn't just using one word, she is explaining what the message of The Crucible is.
2.In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
The theme of "the epidemic of evil" connects to the word superstition. The epidemic of evil connects to the word supersitition because the 'epidemic' is something that the people are superstitious of. The people of Salem are very superstitious about evil overtaking their lives and the village. The people of Salem are so superstitious that they have made the witchcraft problem in their heads and have blown it way out of proportion than it should have been.
Name: Eric DeBord
ReplyDelete1. Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
The author of this review is trying to show how the The Crucible is an allegory. he is explaining to an audience that may or may not know what the Salem Witch Trials are, and may or may not understand how it relates to McCarthyism and the scare of communism in the 1980s. At the time when this review was written, The Cold War was dying, and the author of this review wanted to show how The Crucible puts "Outrage of McCarthyism in historical perspective".
2. In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
One theme this review mentions is that "justice and jurisprudence will always triumph over the immediate inequities of the legal system." This connects very well with 1 of our vocab words: deceit. Deceit is essentially a synonym of lying, or going about something in a way that promotes trickery or false ideas. This is exemplified in the quote above by showing that in the short run, evil and deceit may win, but in the long run, justice will overshadow all inequalities.
Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
ReplyDeleteI believe he uses pathos. He tells of what the book is about, which could make the audience emotional about reading this story.
In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
the epidemic of evil connects with hysteria and superstition. If you were to tell someone that they are in an epidemic of evil, they're reaction would probably be a little freaked out. they would worry about the evil, and do anything to protect themselves from it. they would be so overwhelmed by thinking about the evil that they would go nuts and not think clearly about it.
If you told someone that they were in an epidemic of evil, they could either not believe it because they are not superstitious and they dont believe in that kind of stuff, or they could believe it because they ARE superstitious. some people believe in evil, some people dont.
-Kate Coffey
Erin Hemze
ReplyDelete1. I think that one concept that is being shown in the first paragraph is ethos. I believe this because its talking about how the Salem witch trials was a terrible time in our history.It talks about the evil that was going on during this time and how this play is triggering many different emotions in people.
2. I think that the theme of "the epidemic of evil" ties in with the word hysteria. these two relate because the people of Salem were so scared of the devil and evil doings that it overtook them to believe that any odd behavior was witch craft. they became so consumed with the idea that the town didn't realize what they were getting into.
Erin Hemze
ReplyDelete1. I think that one concept that is being shown in the first paragraph is ethos. I believe this because its talking about how the Salem witch trials was a terrible time in our history.It talks about the evil that was going on during this time and how this play is triggering many different emotions in people.
2. I think that the theme of "the epidemic of evil" ties in with the word hysteria. these two relate because the people of Salem were so scared of the devil and evil doings that it overtook them to believe that any odd behavior was witch craft. they became so consumed with the idea that the town didn't realize what they were getting into.
1. I think out of all of the concepts discussed in class the author uses forshadowing in his play. The fact that he wrote the play about the Salem witchtrials during the cold war is foreshadowing in itself. But during the time he did not directly say the play was about the cold war, but he implied it.
ReplyDelete2. The theme of "the epidemic if evil" relates to the word hysteria. It relates to the word hysteria because when the people of Salem found out about the rumers of witch craft, everyone started to panic. I think authur miller used this in his play because it relates to when communisum started to spread and the fear of communisum started to spread. Everyone was in hysteria. Emily Cline
Name: Logan Todd
ReplyDelete1. Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
Pathos, because the author gives us a sense of justice with his word choice. Using such words as ‘Always’ gives you a solid feeling along with his righteous description of the play’s contents.
2. In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
I chose the theme “The innocent are considered guilty even in the light of evidence to the contrary.” to go along with the word “superstition”. The superstition that was so deeply rooted in the town’s history caused the citizens of Salem to be ignorant to the logic provided by those who were rational. The religious point of view overshadowed the reason that was so lacking during this time. The evidence supplied was ignored due to the hostile superstition which had taken hold in Salem.
Maria Villa:
ReplyDelete1. I think the author is most demonstrating logos in the first paragraph because he is stating logical reasons for why The Crucible is still valid and popular today.
2. The theme "the innocent are considered guilty even in the light of evidence to the contrary" connects with our vocabulary words deceit and hysteria. The town of Salem becomes an "every man for himself" situation because to save yourself you must lie and blame other people, and the whole town becomes so buried in fear, they don't question the sanity of anything.
1. The device used in the first paragraph is allegory, because it is informing the reader of how the Salem Witch Trials are a parallel to McCarthyism.
ReplyDelete2. Of the themes mentioned in the article, I chose the one that states that "decency can outlive even the most disquieting events". I think this theme connects to the word "integrity". I think this because, to me, this means that a person's inner morals and sense of right and wrong will continue to exist even during events in which the said morals are questioned. One will not be stripped of their integrity, even if it is put to the test.
-Erica Beilke
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteName: Tommy Zalewski
ReplyDeleteOf the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
I believe that the author is describing logos in the first paragraph. Altough logos is usually represented by logic, I also believe it back be represented by a lack of. The events or themes that the author was desribing illistrated a lack of logos. Throughout the book, most of the problems that occur come from a lack of critical thinking or stopping and making sure what you are doing is okay. The majority of evil in the book came from a strong lack of thought.
In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
In the second paragraph, the author mentions how the people who were innocent are considered guilty, even if there is no evidence to support it. I think that the word hysteria relates to this thought. The townspeople of Salem were so caught up in fear that they would throw logic out the window because of the terror of being accused themselves. The townspeople had over the top, uncontrollable fear that influenced the decisions they made.
1. Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
ReplyDeleteOf the concepts we have talked about in class, the author is describing allegory in the first paragraph of this article. An allegory is a narrative or story that compares one event to another, kind of like a very long metaphor. The author says that The Crucible is comparing the Salem With Trials to McCarthyism and blacklisting, which is the definition of an allegory.
2. In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
One of the themes of The Crucible is the epidemic of evil, according to the article. This theme is related to hysteria. Abigail Williams spread her "evil" much like a deadly disease, and look what happened! The whole town of Salem was infested with a bad case of hysteria.
-Michaela Lonski
Name: Quinn Stephan
ReplyDelete1. The author of the article is clearly describing allegory, as The Crucible is a direct parallel to the hysteria of the cold war and McCarthyism
2. One of the themes the author mentions is the epidemic of evil. The people of Salem think that they are being invaded by the devil, and immediately begin trying to save themselves, not caring about moral values or integrity. This behavior is due to hysteria, and soon spreads evil throughout the town.
Name: Quinn Stephan
ReplyDelete1. The author of the article is clearly describing allegory, as The Crucible is a direct parallel to the hysteria of the cold war and McCarthyism
2. One of the themes the author mentions is the epidemic of evil. The people of Salem think that they are being invaded by the devil, and immediately begin trying to save themselves, not caring about moral values or integrity. This behavior is due to hysteria, and soon spreads evil throughout the town.
Name: Cory Schulz
ReplyDelete1.Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
I believe the concept used in the first paragraph is symbolism. The author uses a historical event almost similar to his situation, making The Crucible and the Salem witch trails a direct symbol for McCarthyism and the black listing going on during the Cold War.
2.In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
One of the themes mentioned in the second paragraph is "the epidemic of evil", which has to do with hysteria. Everyone was so afraid of what people were saying and what was going on that their fear got bigger and bigger, all while "evil" was spreading throughout the town and taking over.
Name: Maya Walls
ReplyDelete1. I think the author of the article is describing theme in the first paragraph. It's stating that the Salem witch trials was such a historical time and is very meaningful to today's society.
2. The theme "the epidemic of evil" is relevant to the word superstition because by evil they mean the witches that are in Salem. They are all very superstitious about the devil and all his workers and people he controls. They want nothing to do with the devil and if anyone is associated with the devil they must be killed.
1.Of the concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, irony, allegory, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) we have gone over in class, which one best describes what the author is describing about The Crucible in the first paragraph of this article? Please explain.
ReplyDeleteI think ethos best describes what the author was describing about the Crucible because he explains much of the values and ethics that The Crucible. He explains much of the themes and what values the themes come with. It also fits with the book because The Crucible teaches many lessons about reputation, deciet and more.
2.In paragraph two, I have bolded the themes this article mentions. Please select one of these three themes mentioned and connect it to one (or more) of our topic words (intolerance, reputation, deceit, hysteria, misogyny, superstition, and integrity). Don't just mention the theme and the word(s), please explain why that theme is connected/related to that topic word.
The theme "epidemic of evil" and the word hysteria connects really well together because hysteria is the fear of emotion and the townspeople fear over evil. The act of hysteria can be seen a lot in the book especially when Betty Parris demonstrates the act of hysteria when she was sick and freaking out.