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Mob Mentality In The Crucible

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Arthur Miller’s portrayal of a town in the midst of a downfall “The Crucible”, tells the story of how mob mentality and hysteria can significantly influence not only individuals but the whole town. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. As Abigail begins to be accused she is pressured to deter from the truth. While Mary Warren gets pressured by Proctor to reveal the truth about Abigail, but the overwhelming pressure from the mob makes her turn from the truth. Thus demonstrating how mob mentality can impact an individual and ultimately drive the action of the play. This shows us how one person who starts …show more content…

But the mainly because everyone thinks she is a witch. Due to the women in the court room continuously repeating it with details to support, making everybody believe Mary warren is a witch. Mary was the one caught in the dancing in the forest and being accused of witch craft. When Mary was in court she admitted she was witch craft but, also made everyone to think it was an act. In act 2 page 80 Mary Warren is pressured by Proctor to go to court and confess that Abigail is guilty. After continuous pressuring Mary Warren replies with ‘I cannot, they’ll turn on me— “showing us the mob has driven fear into people and how Marry is afraid to tell the truth in the case everyone will turn on her and blame her. Mary’s feeble attempt to recompense backfires, so when Abigail uses the poppet to blame it on Elizabeth, making Mary feel even worse thus she agrees to go with proctor to testify against Abigail in court. Later after agreeing to go to court to support Proctor Mary is asked who is at fault and in fear replies pointing to proctor “You’re the devil’s man!” (act three, page 119). This demonstrates how the fear of the mob and the overwhelming pressure from the Abigail makes her turn from the truth. Thus this shows us how mob mentality is evident in the crucible and encompasses characters to turn from the truth and ends in the demise of the Salem Community. It is clear that mob mentality in “The Crucible” resulted in the

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”(Miller 100). At that point in time Mary Warren and John Proctor both tried to prove Abigail Williams and the other girls of faking it until, act 4 when she backstabbed John Proctor and made her own claim that John Proctor was satan. ”You’re the devil’s man.” (Miller 110). Mary knows what Abigail was always a threat and being on her side was an advantage, John Proctor was foolish for thinking Mary would keep her word and tell on the girls.

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In addition, when Mary Warren and Proctor are talking after Elizabeth was arrested, He is telling her that they need to go to court to prove all of this is a hoax but Mary Warren is too afraid of Abigail to do whats right. “‘I cannot charge murder on Abigail.’ ‘You will tell the court how that poppet came here and who stuck the needle in’ ‘She’ll kill me for saying that!’” (Miller 80). This quote shows how much power Abigail holds over the other girls.

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You will tell it in the court, Mary Warren: I cannot” (Miller, 80) In this conversation, Mary Warren and John Proctor are at odds because Mary is scared and unwilling to testify, but Proctor is forcing her to do so. He does not want to testify, but if Mary testifies, saying the same thing, Proctor does not have to. Mary’s testimony ensues a series of events at the courthouse, ending with the everyone outside in a panic, and Mary, more scared of Abigail than Proctor now, accuses Proctor of witchcraft. If Mary and Proctor has not fought, she would not have testified, these events would not have happened, Proctor would not be accused, and the idea that the accusations were false would not have been placed in the Judge’s head.

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