. A lie is never good, even though death threaten on the other side!" (200). Hester finds comfort in prayer and repentance, which help to make her strong: "Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers- stern قَاسٍ and wild ones- and they had made her strong" (206).
The dramatic story really attracts readers’ attention, and what’s more, the meaningful themes of this outstanding work laid the foundation of its unique significance. The first theme I would like to discuss about is the sin of the three main characters, which is prevailingly illustrated in the novel. At the very beginning the sin is Hester’s adultery: a very serious breach of Puritan morality. Then it had its forms of Dimmesdale’s disguise and Chillingworth’s revenge. I have no beliefs in Christian, so Hester only appears to me as a woman who pursues her liberty and protects her true love.
Because she lived in such a God driven and puritan town, the judicial system of the settlement had decided for her to acknowledge her sin by embroidering a vibrant scarlet letter “A” onto her dress to symbolize adultery. She was often ostracized from the rest of the town since she was forced to wear the crimson “A” everywhere she went. As well as the letter to remind her of the wrong she had done, the affair had left her with a fatherless daughter named Pearl. Later in the novel we discover the father is the Reverend of the town, the admirable Arthur Dimmesdale. Through pain, remorse and agony the novel reveals that it is better to tell a harmless lie then to confess a hurtful truth.
The trials start, in which the girls act as though they have a direct connection to God, led by the now powerful Abigail. Townsfolk soon have suspicions of Miss Williams affair with John, Abigail finds this power she has and takes advantage of it. One accusation against even the most well-respected villagers accused of devil worship was prosecuted. Abigail is convinced that after her affair with John Proctor, that he is in love with her, her jealousy of his wife and desire for him gets out of hand, she is labelled a “whore” and a “harlot”. John Proctor – John is an honest, blunt-spoken, good man with a temper.
The last character that contributed to an entire town’s belief in witches would be Danforth. His stubborn and narrow minded attitude had people dangling from a rope. It is easy to say that Abigail Williams is the triumphant ringleader of the accusers in The Crucible. Constantly pointing fingers, she named name after name and everyone believed her whole heartedly. At the beginning of the play, Reverend Parris accused Abigail of witch craft but to avoid punishment she passed the blame to Tituba saying “I never called him!
Abigail and the girls blame Elizabeth Proctor at first of being a witch and with devil and will not change their minds for anything. Some other people may believe this is false and that societal integrity is more important than personal integrity because societal has more people and the more people there are the better chance right/ their beliefs are accurate. Some people believe societal is more important because it is a group of people against one other person’s beliefs. In the “Crucible” everybody believes Abigail and the girls that they were being witch crafted because there was so many girls saying the same story and so it seemed as if they were right and telling the truth. Some may believe that the more people there are against something the majority rules.
After Mr Brocklehurst announces to the whole school that Jane is a liar, she proves that Jane has not been lying, “completely cleared of every imputation”. Miss Temple displays her natural instinct to create justice, before accepting what Mr Brocklehurst has said, she asks Jane and when Jane drops the slate she stands up for her, “Don’t be afraid Jane…you shall not be punished”. Miss Temple's treatment of Helen also has an influence on Jane. Jane has a great admiration for Miss Temple, and in many ways imitates her behaviour. Miss Temple's treatment of Helen shows Jane
Crucible Act I and Let’s All Feel Superior connections Connections between Act I of The Crucible and the article Let’s All Feel Superior by David Brooks There are some very obvious connections between The Crucible and “Let’s All Feel Superior”. In both of the pieces, the authors portray that people when put in decisions that could affect them will lie to save themselves. In The Crucible, Abigail is questioned about being involved in witchcraft and turns the attention to Tituba, who is innocent in the situation. “[MRS. PUTNAM enters with TITUBA, and instantly ABIGAIL points at TITUBA.] ABIGAIL.
She instantly jumps to the conclusion that witchcraft is afoot, which is apparent when she states “Mark it for a sign, mark it!” when Betty thrashes in her “trance.” She is also paranoid by the fact that there must be some paranormal reason as to why her babies have perished. And it is these traits that differentiate her from Abigail. This use of contrast by Miller emphasizes the characterization of the two characters. But it is Rebecca Nurse who stands out among this crowd. Both Abigail and Mrs. Putnam are bitter and to a certain extent spiteful yet Rebecca Nurse carries none of these mannerisms.
According to the people of Salem, everyone belongs to either God or the devil; there is no contended medium. Difference within oneself is degrading, which relates to the continuous trials of witchcraft. Danforth states: “A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it.” Being the terminal meaning of reestablishing the purity of Salem, the hanging of witches is a declaration of intolerance. The theme of hysteria also plays an important role in The Crucible. Hysteria leads the people of Salem to believe that those who were friends are executing witchery and associating themselves with the devil.