Similarities Between The Crucible And Japanese Internment

Our history is swarming with discrimination. Humans have a tendency to see something that is different from themselves and fear it, or hate it. This hatred often leads to the destruction of these so-called “different” people. The Crucible by Arthur Miller tells a story of the Salem witch trials, where a town becomes hysterical when several young girls are falsely accused of witchcraft. This play was written as an allegory to McCarthyism, and the destruction of innocent lives that came because of it. This can be compared to a conflict that has left scars all across our history, racism. One event in particular, the Japanese internment after World War 2, can be associated with Arthur Miller's, The Crucible, because of their similar motive, theme, and outcome. Both the witch hunt and the japanese internment started because of a single event. In the case of Salem Massachusetts, it was a group of girls dance in the woods, that brought the fear of witchcraft into the town. Reverend Parris,

There was never even proof that any witchcraft was performed the night of the dancing, but the citizens of Salem were blinded by fear. And when one person was accused, they accused another, and so on, until half the town was labeled “witches,” and they were arrested. This is very similar to what happened after the attack on pearl harbor. Once everyone saw what a few select Japanese had done, they automatically assumed that every Japanese citizen, even those who were born in America, were likely to do the same. Even though there was no proof that they had anything to do with the attack, the Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which removed over 100,000 Japanese-Americans from their homes and relocated them to camps during World War 2. Just like how people falsely accused everyday citizens of being witches, people also accused Japanese-Americans of being traitors, both with absolutely no