Throughout history literary texts have been a vehicle for social commentary and political ideas. Both Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and Michael Moore’s political documentary “Bowling for Columbine” exemplify this notion, utilising their own political perspectives to create unique and evocative interpretations of their time’s political situation. Miller presents “The Crucible” as an allegorical piece that is a commentary of the mass hysteria and paranoia that engulfed American society surrounding the McCarthy era. In “Bowling for Columbine” Moore creates a comedic, yet chilling documentary attempting to unveil the causes for the Columbine High School massacre and violence more generally in America. Both composers cleverly criticique the political circumstances of their time through a range of literary techniques and themes. Joseph McCarthy used the fear of the communist accusations as a medium gain political power to the detriment of the others. Miller reflects this idea through the characterisation of Danforth who is conveyed as a figure who values his own reputation over …show more content…
Moore suggests that by only choosing to televise violent stories the media has created a fear driven society. Moore conveys this through the collection of ludicrous media articles creating fear, such as “In an instant an escalator can mangle you or a loved one” Moore employs the sound of a rapid heart beat to metaphorically represent the fear in the american population. Moore undermines the views of the mass media and hyped blame culture through the use of montage displaying numerous media outlets blaming various external influences for the violence in America until they seem to reach the same conclusion; Marilyn Manson. The increasing speed in which the montage cuts between one clip to the next conveys the increasing hysteria of the American