Which essay should i write about for the CRUCIBLE??

Question

THE CRUCIBLE
Which one should i pick to write a 2-3 essay on?

1-The word crucible means a container for melting or purifying metals and severe test. Explain how and why these meanings are appropriate for the characters and action of Miller's play.

2-Some have claimed that the Crucible's characters are only "mouthpieces" for Miller's ideas. Support or refute critic Walter Kerr, who said, "For Salem, and the people in it, are really only conveniences to Mr. Miller, props to his themes. he does not make them interesting in and of themselves, and you wind up analyzing them..rather than losing yourself in any rounded, deeply rewarding personalities."

3-Instead of the "devil walking Salem," John Proctor says, "vengeance is walking Salem." Explain how this is true. Examine the motivations for the witch hunts and examine the consequences that follow. Besides the deaths, what happended to the community and its, values, morals, way of life?

also...maybe give me some ideas : )

Answer 1

No 3. A lot of the accusations were false because neighbours were jealous of neighbour, or bore some grudge against them.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller, 1915 – 2005.

Study Guides:

These links will give you a chapter by chapter summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions.

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Crucible.html#Year

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmCrucible01.asp

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/index.html

http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help/cliffsnotes/the_crucible/

http://www.aresearchguide.com/crucible.html

Answer 2

Go with #1 - Seems to have the most clear instructions.
1. A crucible is a container used in metal refining. They put ore and scrap metal into the crucible, heat it at very high temperatures, and the ore melts. Any organic matter is burned off.
2. In the play, "The Crucible", the people of Salem created through their religion what was supposed to be Zion, or the city where God would eventually come to reside, but through their own beliefs, moral attitudes, religious zealousy, and finger-pointing, they created instead a fire of hate, lies, suspicion, and ultimately a complete lack of the forgiveness preached by religion. Those who went through that situation were either destroyed or came out the stronger and better for it.
(Think of those stupid friendship games, quarrels, popularity contests, and torture by girls to each other in junior high. That's why they teach the play! It's the same kind of thing!)

Good Luck.

Answer 3

These are excellent essay questions. I congratulate your teacher who seems to be aware of the level high schoolers should be working on. #2--Miller had been singled out by the Macarthy forces against communism and at the time of writing Crucible he was very much concerned with the "witch hunts" of his own time and writing a piece that reflected those times. But he was also writing the tragedy of a common man. Something that runs through most of his work--Salesman, View from the Bridge, All My Sons. #3--Few of the characters in Miller's play like the people of the 1690's really believed in what they were doing, they used the Bible and the Church as a weapon against neighbors when it came to looting property. Xians today use Biblical text to excuse their hatred and ignorance in the political arena.

Answer 4

I'd do the second one and talk about how the whole story was used to comment on the things that were going on in society at the time it was written with MaCarthy and his communist hunts. He used a story about Salem, mirroring the communist hunts to the witch hunts, because he would be accused of being communist and persecuted if he actually wrote directly about his feelings on this matter.

Answer 5

the 3rd one is much easier. where you have many points to tell on. well you can also tell why proctor says that. make sure that you dont repeat your points when you are write on the consequences and what happened to the community. on the consequences you can talk as a whole while the community you can talk one by one. well good luck

Answer 6

You should write how it compares to today's Muslim suicidal attacks, in comparison to the number of people who have died because of these two idiotic purposes, which is no way connected to what the religion is all about.

Answer 7

devil walking salem

Answer 8

irony- explain how ironic it was for people being so "pious" and devoted came to end up in the bad situations and witch craft they were in

Answer 9

go with no.2 seems easier.