Fear In The Crucible Essay

Fear is a powerful emotion which controls human beings. Throughout history fear has depicted the outcome of society because few people live with no fear. During horrific events including the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism and the ongoing battle against terrorism fear was a response to uncertainty. The Salem Witch Trials were the unfair hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft, these trials were expressed in the Crucible written by Arthur Miller. McCarthyism was when thousands of Americans were accused of being communists, the event was portrayed in the movie Guilty By Suspicion. Finally, terrorism is a constant threat which has many people mortified. Fear dictated all of these events and worsened the situations dramatically.

He began an anti-communist movement in the United States known as McCarthyism. He took advantage of the mass anxiety throughout the country after a devastating war so he could gain power. His confident personality had few people worrying about his intentions and being in his presence was intimidating which lead no one to disagree with him. He had the power to have citizens fired from their job, sent to jail and end their life as they knew it because once a person was named a communist they were outcast from society. He went further to preach that anyone unamerican was a communist, which lead to the creation of the House Un-American Activities Committee. The committee composed the Hollywood Blacklist, a list of entertainers who the committee believed were communists. The list of communists grew rapidly because everyone labeled a communist had to give names of other communists. People were often falsely because the names were not always accurate. accused Joseph McCarthy sought out people who attended communist meetings in their past, even if they attended only a few, and questioned them about their intentions. In the movie Guilty By Suspicion David Merrill was accused of being a communist because he attended some meetings in a dark time, although, the meetings were about aiding others. He was tried for his actions but then became the first man to stand up