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Examples Of Self Preservation In The Crucible

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Amidst times of chaos when fear and uncertainty is abundant, many individuals prioritize their own survival above all else. Arthur Miller's 1953 play The Crucible, is an examination of this instinct in the framework of the Salem witch trials. Through his use of literary devices, specifically dialogue, Miller delves into complex themes of self-preservation, mass hysteria, and truth. In The Crucible, Miller employs character dialogue to illustrate the unfortunate reality that during the witch trials, self-preservation often held more value than moral principles and honesty. By exploring the different characters and their motivations, Miller reveals the dangerous consequences of prioritizing self-preservation above fundamental beliefs. In this …show more content…

The Reverend's passion in urging Elizabeth to convince John to falsely confess highlights this danger: "Life, woman, life is God‘s most precious gift; no principle however glorious may justify the taking of it. I beg you, woman—prevail upon your husband to confess. Let him give his lie" (Act II, Scene 3). The use of the word "beg" highlights the urgency and desperation of Hale's plea, while the phrase "Let him give his lie" underscores the willingness to sacrifice moral principles for the sake of survival. Despite his good intentions, Hale's actions show the dangerous consequences of prioritizing self-preservation above fundamental beliefs. As the play continues, it becomes evident that these acts of self-preservation lead to the eventual downfall of many of the townsfolk in the Salem …show more content…

Her words reveal that she values her life above following Puritan laws, as shown when Tituba is cornered and threatened with death. She is told she will be hanged if she does not confess, so she finally breaks down and lies about her history with the Devil. The dialogue "You work for me, Tituba, and I make you free! I give you pretty dress to wear, and put you way high up in the air and you gone fly back to Barbados" is an example of the detailed lies that she gave to save herself. The use of the phrase "you work for me" underscores the alleged relationship Tituba and the Devil have, while "I make you free" suggests that the Devil offered her freedom if she did his will. By giving her a way out through a false confession, her accusers reveal that they are willing to sacrifice truth and morality for the sake of one’s life. This dialogue highlights the devastating consequences of prioritizing survival over moral principles as only a couple lies from Tituba and her accusers started a chain reaction of accusations and

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Self preservation is one of mankind's base instincts and is ever present in everyone. This animalistic instinct can cause a person to do things seen as morally wrong by others or some will go to the most extreme lengths to keep themselves alive. Within the story The Crucible by Arthur Miller onse such character displays a very evident sense of self preservation and that character is none other than Mary Warren. Within the story Mary Warren is very guilty of raising hysteria amongst the town because of her actions due to self preservation.

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Tituba displayed her pleasing side when she did not say nothing about what happened in the woods. She did it to please abigail so that she would not kill them. Being a pleaser is one of my major traits. One time when my mom was really mad at me and she went to spend the night at her boyfriend's house I cleaned the whole house.

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Once Proctor admits to the court that he has known Abigail and that she was being dishonest about the affair, the court starts to see that she if she is capable of lying about their affair then she must also be capable of lying about witchcraft. An additional example of heroism in The Crucible, is seen when Reverend John Hale tries to convince those accused of witchcraft to confess even though they aren't guilty. Hale speaks with Elizabeth and

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play that expresses a very important message and that is how far people would go to save themselves from the hands of death. There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. The play takes place in the city of Salem, a city filled with people that would do anything to keep their reputation clean. Throughout the play, Miller is introducing multiple characters that experience changes in their decisions and negatively influence more people eventually leading up to the witch trials. The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment.

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In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible fear and hysteria are the foundation of the book and interesting and conflicting events that take place in the community of Salem. It is the answer to results in the process of the community. It is fear and hysteria that urge the Salem Witch. Arthur Miller creates a great example of how people can easily turn against each other in times of a violent and bad situation, including the waste and the power of the lives of others in reality and in doing so.

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At the opening of the play, we find that she eats forbidden sweets behind her husbands back. This is not a huge offense, but it is an action that gives us insight into her deceptive nature. We later discover that she borrowed money, forged a signature, and lied to her husband about it. She justifies her actions with the rational that her deceptive actions stem out of an act of love, thus making them right. She doesn 't see anything wrong with her perception and can often be found covering her deceit with phrases like, “You mustn 't say anything about it to anyone.

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Ryan Whitlock Mrs. Chelsea Russell-ice AP English Literature 26 March 2024 The Crucible: A Stark Warning of the Dangers of Blind Conformity and Human Selfishness The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953, serves as a testament to the harmful nature of human selfishness and fearful congruity. The play is set in protestant Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 during the perilous Salem Witch Trials in which more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft and 19 were executed by hanging. Mass hysteria and sorrow were caused by the accusations of people by others to save themselves and many were forced to oblige or meet their demise through hanging. Through the setting of the Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible displays an eerie allegory to the

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Upon first mention of Tituba’s affiliation with witchcraft Parris responds with utter disbelief saying “Now I am undone.” He refuses to believe that Tituba, a women with a reputation of low social status, could have any connection to such sorcery. However, throughout the play, Miller individualizes Tituba in terms of her dialect, place of origin, and skin color which ultimately shows how individuality can be subverted into a cause for fear. Tituba uses this sense of isolation and individuality to her advantage and self benefit.

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The Crucible: Self Preservation is Motivation By definition self preservation is the “..set of behaviors by means of which individuals attempt to preserve their own existence and the psychical processes that establish these behaviors..”. For The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, self preservation has been shown to have affected multiple characters, including John Proctor, Samuel Parris, and Abigail. In The Crucible, self preservation is also the greatest motivation . John Proctor is one of the characters being affected by this trend of self preservation being motivation for the characters of The Crucible.

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