The Crucible Essay
Izabel Ureta
Per. 4
10/19/15
The Crucible by Arthur Miller was written to warn Americans about the propaganda and misleading information that the McCarthy Era advertised in the 1950s. Miller compared McCarthyism to the Salem Witch Trials in order to demonstrate how both events enabled hysteria by promoting prejudgement and the lack of morality in society. The fear of peers in Salem fuel the act of injustice for the reason that they prejudge and have a misunderstanding of one another. Elizabeth is confused when she finds out that Abigail mentioned her name in court. “I am no Goody Good that sleeps in ditches, nor Osburn, drunk and half-witted” (Miller 61). Goody Good and Goody Osburn are sentenced to hang for practicing
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Reverend Parris is concerned that the town is discontented with the executions. “This way, unconfessed and claiming innocence, doubts are multiplied, many honest people will weep for them, and our good purpose is lost in their tears” (128). Parris realizes that the hysteria in Salem has caused the majority to unreasonably view innocent people as threats and how the government unjustly eliminated them. The fundamental purpose of the trials was to oust witches in order to return Salem to a Christian community. Instead, it has created a society of hate and prejudice. Giles explains that Putnam had his daughter to summon witchery upon a man to obtain his land. “If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property - that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for their land!” (96). An individual living in that kind of Christian community would not bear false witness against his/her neighbor, but Putnam takes advantage of the widespread panic to benefit himself. The loss of morality is seen in the McCarthy Era in that McCarthy indirectly harmed and destroyed the lives of others with his assumptions and caused a serious threat to the