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Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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Throughout history, there have been major events that have taken place and have shaped the days we live in. Two of these events are the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism. Arthur Miller addresses the Salem Witch Trials in his book "The Crucible", but many can argue that, due to what was happening during the time he wrote the book, he wrote it to refer to McCarthyism as well. Some might say that he was "blind to the world" when he wrote the book, but it is more commonly thought that he wrote it for McCarthyism, rather than for human motivation. There is much proof for this, in Miller's autobiography "Timebends", as well as "The Crucible: Act One". First of all, Miller makes a connection between Salem(1692) and Washington(1950s), saying …show more content…

It suddenly became possible--and patriotic and holy-- for a man to say that Martha Corey had come into his bedroom at night..."(Miller, 1952, p. 7). By specifically using patriotic and holy, Miller makes a connection, because there wasn't too much patriotism in Salem, but there was a lot of it in Washington. By accusing people of Communism, you would be a patriot, and a holy person for exposing them, and saving your country. The people accused of Communism, resemble Martha Corey in this example. Similarly, when the author writes(Mary Warren): "What’ll we do? The village is out! I just come from the farm; the whole country is talking witchcraft! They’ll be callin’ us witches, Abby!"(Miller, 1952, p. 19) he symbolizes the way people acted during the McCarthy era. If they accused others of Communism, then they would not be suspected. On top of that, when he says: "But gradually, over weeks, a living connection between myself and Salem, and between Salem and Washington, was made in my mind..." (Miller, 1987) he most clearly tells the reader that he made a seemingly connection between the two

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