Fear is not always a harmful emotion. Through fear, we have learned life-long lessons that not everything will work in our favor. We have grown around the definition that fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or be a threat” but never that the emotion is a natural and a helpful response. The Crucible, Farewell to Manzanar, and a George Takei interview all provide examples of how fear can be both harmful and beneficial.
In The Crucible, fear is used as a tool to take control and override the power of the townspeople. The fear of being accused of witchcraft leads many characters such as John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth Proctor to be falsely accused in order to protect themselves. In the long run, this fear causes the lives of innocent people to be taken. With fear, John Proctor uses this as a motivator to stand against his accusations. This leads him to confess his adultery and ultimately sacrifice himself for the truth. In this incident, fear is a productive force that leads to moral success.
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A WRA form that distinguishes the people as loyal or disloyal to the United States is to be signed on the 31st of July in 1943. The fear of being seen as disloyal to the United States leads the characters to suppress their Japanese culture and language. However, fear also leads to resilience and a determination to survive. The fear of this story being forgotten motivates Jeanne to write her memoir and preserve the history of her family and community. In this case, fear is a force that leads to cultural preservation and