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Fallacies In The Crucible

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The Crucible Playwright, Arthur Miller, wrote The Crucible in 1953. The Crucible is a play set in Salem, Massachusetts. The play is based on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but it has an underlying message that connects it to the Red Scare. In order to address the social issues during the Red Scare, Miller uses Abigail to symbolize Joseph McCarthy, logical fallacies in Danforth's dialogue, and motifs that represent the battle of good vs. evil. In order to address the social issues of the Red Scare, Miller uses Abigail to symbolize Joseph McCarthy. Early on in the play, Abigail says “... I saw Sarah Good with the devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil!”(Miller). In this quote Abigail is naming off people …show more content…

Government. Danforth says “The pure in heart need no lawyers”(Miller). In Danforth's statement he is saying if you’re pure and honest you do not need a lawyer. However, everyone needs a lawyer. This connects to the foolish reasons behind those who were accused of being communist, their investigations, and the loss of their jobs(Miller Center). Danforth also says, “... whoever weeps, for those who weep for corruption. Take them!” Danforth is claiming those who weep for the people being hung are corrupt too. Miller uses this example as a relation to McCarthy and his stance on those who attempted to speak against his false accusations(Miller …show more content…

evil through multiple characters. This includes light vs. dark and black vs. white. One quote from the play is “Now Hell and Heaven grapple on our back, and our old pretense is washed away”(Miller). The talk of Hell, Heaven, God, and witchcraft point to the battle of light vs. dark. This battle is seen to be between those who are pure and good, then those who are corrupt and evil. Miller correlates this to the battle in the U.S. Government. A battle of the Americans vs. the communist and alleged betrayers(Miller Center). The character Abigail also says, “She is blackening my name in the village.”(Miller). The battle of black vs. white is referencing ruined and dirty vs. pure and clean. Abigail is connecting her name to being ruined. Miller uses this to refer to the accused during the Red Scare, and the way their names were blackened. Along with how all the American people saw them as guilty and dirty for their supposed

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In the play, The Crucible, written by Aurthor Miller, he establishes meaning throughout the play alongside utilizing logical fallacies by creating a persuasive lens that makes an argument convincing towards the audience. One of the many fallacies that Miller applies throughout the play is Ad Baculum logical fallacy (scare tactics), and it is used when Mary Warren begins speaking during court and the girls in the courtroom begin building panic by repeating everything Mary Warren is saying: Danforth, growing hysterical: Why can they only repeat you? Proctor: Give me a whip––I’ll stop it! Mary Warren: They’re sporting.

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In the book The Crucible Abigail Williams selfish crimes cause others to be blamed for her own witchcraft. Abigail has an affair with John Proctor, the husband of Elizabeth Proctor, causing tensions to rise between Abigail and Elizabeth. During act one Abigail is talking to John at his house and she was talking to him about what they did one night and how she believed he still loved her (Miller, 22). During Abigail and John’s conversation it showed how Abigail isn’t always a good person and she makes mistakes too. During The Crucible Abigail always tries to act innocent or if she's wrong bring others down with her.

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There are many logical fallacies to be found In Arthur Millers, The Crucible, too many to count for. The author uses many fallacies because writers will purposefully use logical fallacies to make an argument seem more persuasive or valid than it really is. In fact, the examples of fallacies on the following pages might be examples you have heard or read. Logical fallacies make an argument weak by using mistaken beliefs/ideas, invalid arguments, illogical arguments, and/or deceptiveness. If you are arguing, avoid fallacies of thought because they create weaknesses in an argument.

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For many, The Crucible was just the next powerful and dramatic venture of Arthur Miller's work, but for Miller himself it was an urgent political and social statement. In the 1940’s and 50’s the cold war led many americans to fear and suspect that communism has taken over the United States. Senator Joseph Mccarthy was a famous activist of the Red Scare. The Red Scare was when people accused of being communists were blacklisted, One person who was accused of being a communist was Arthur Miller, a famous playwright. As a result of these events Miller was inspired to write The Crucible, which was during the Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600’s.

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In The Crucible, Miller fully displays how the actions of John Proctor really affected the lives of the people around him. His affair with Abigail reveals to be potent to the people around him. Because of Abigail’s desires for Proctor to leave Elizabeth because she questions “how such a strong man may let such a sickly [woman] be [his wife]”(Miller 23). She insults Proctor’s wife as a way to blacken the image of Elizabeth in Proctor’s mind but it seems to have the opposite effect as Proctor yells that [She’ll] speak nothin’ of Elizabeth!(Miller 23).

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In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the antagonist, Abigail Williams, is a complex character, whose actions have an irreversible impact on the lives of those around her. While some may argue that Abigail should be viewed with sympathy, or as a victim, a closer examination of her character reveals a different truth. Abigail Williams should be seen as a villain due to the fact she is unsympathetic, deceptive and selfish. To begin, Abigail Williams should be seen as a villain due to her lack of empathy. For example, Abigail claims, "I would never hurt Betty.

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“People at war with themselves will always have collateral damage in the lives of those around them.” In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, Abigail Williams is a selfish 17 year old who wants everyone around her to be as miserable as her because she cannot get what she desires most in this world, John Proctor. With this being said Abigail is the person who is most responsible for the Salem Witch Trials. Despite the fact that she is the trigger to the mass agitation which happens in the novel, she is not the only one at fault. The role of John Proctor and Judge Danforth are also to blame.

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She uses lies to remove Elizabeth, Proctor's wife, from the scene because she regards her as an obstacle to their connection. In addition to achieving Abigail's own goals, her false charges of witchcraft against Elizabeth add to the general panic and chaos that descend upon Salem. Abigail's dishonesty plays a major role in the overall meaning of "The Crucible". Miller draws attention to the damaging effects of deception and manipulation in society through her activities.

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Abigail is the girl that John Proctor had an affair with. In The Crucible Betty Parris says, “You did. You did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!”

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" Miller uses his best characters Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Rebecca Nurse; to show the meaning of the word “Crucible”. John Proctor made this title memorable because of the way he carried himself throughout the play and book. John Proctor was guilty of his affair with Abigail Williams. Abigail was upset she could not have John

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Hysteria in Salem The Crucible is a play written by American author, Arthur Miller, in 1953. It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. Miller himself was blacklisted for refusing to testify in front of the HUAC, a committee that was created to investigate any person who might be a communist.

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