For instance, Abigail lies when questioned about having an affair with farmer John Proctor, her former employer. While Proctor confesses his lechery, Abigail proclaims that the affair did not take place. When directly questioned, Abigail refuses to answer. Another instance of dishonesty is Abigail’s accusations during her crying out. Cornered into admitting to participating in dark magic, she still cannot take responsibility for her actions and instead accuses others of cooperating with the devil.
Throughout Miller’s novel The Crucible, religion is heavily criticized and the institution of it in Salem. Criticism is displayed when Abigail reveals her hatred for Salem and the key values the town lived by: “I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men” (I. 22). Abigail criticized the way religion was taught and the context of religion in Salem. Miller argues that Salem’s teachings to the people amongst one another was wrong doing with the fact that few people such as Abigail saw them as too drastic or immorally wrong.
The Puritans viewed the Indians as devil worshipers, and witches were viewed as servants of the devil. They saw the Devil 70 miles away, and were fearful of them. There was always a fear that the devil was nearby and were always suspicious, and frightened. The Puritans believed that if the Devil could get you to join his ranks you were a witch and shall not be trusted. Women during the time were considered to be weaker than men, and therefore less likely to resist the Devil if he visited them.
From this quote he looked like if he was an honest honorable man and also stubborn for not just saying what was he was told to do but he sounded like a brave man. In 1692, the village of Salem severely feared the Devil and witchcraft, causing them to persecute others as witches. The Salem village was worn out by internal disputes between neighbors who disagreed with the choice of Samuel Parris as their first ordained minister. Also during this time, religion was an enormous part of the culture. The Puritan belief of predestination caused many problems in this small town society.
Ponyboy just had to see Johnny kill Bob and that was enough to make him lose his innocence. People like Randy and Steve just resent and hate the world so much that that would cause them to lose their innocence as well. Someone could lose their innocence just by thinking bad thoughts. S.E. Hinton definitely does not agree with William Blake’s poem: The Lily because in The Lily, William Blake is saying that innocence cannot be abolished or destroyed.
The Crucible The theme jealousy can destroy lives is shown through the actions of Abigail Williams affects Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor and herself. “This can’t work anymore, I love someone else.” Hearing these words can affect many people’s lives, causing them to hurt others around them.” “The Crucible” was written in 1953 by Arthur Miller. The play is about the witch trials that took place in Salem Massachusetts; where many innocent people were accused of witchcraft. Abigail’s actions sent Elizabeth to jail, but also cause John his freedom and life. At the end of act four Proctor refuses to give his name to the court, he clearly stated that he had already gave himself in and told them that he was a man of the devil and that they couldn’t take his name, because that’s the only thing he had left.
They established a community based on the Bible. They believed that God punished the whole community for the sins of it's people. This is why they did not tolerate sin. Therefore, sinners were publicly humiliated, shamed, and shunned. In the novel, both Hester and Pearl were shunned by the community because of Hester's adultery.
The author shows how Ed Kennedy brings happiness in the Tatupu family by giving them a little gift. The author shows how little things are more worthy in life than big things. The other quality that is shown in both novels about the meaning of a good human is through altruism. Ed is an altruistic person; he chooses to help those that need him. Ed knows that he has to finish the last three missions anyhow because they were about his closest friends.
Mary Warren displays this anxiety when she allows Abigail to frighten her into abandoning John Proctor and accusing him of witchcraft. This leaves him unable to prove the girls' perjury and at the mercy of the judges who are quick to impose guilt. Reverend Parris also displayed an influence by fear when he urged the judges to condemn the accused and encouraged the accused to confess. He believed that this would help him continue to appear moral in the town during immoral and unjust proceedings. Should he lose his facade of morality, he would lose his position of power as reverend.
Up to now in this story it seems like half of the town has been accused of witchcraft, but it gets worse. Martha Corey was accused because she thought the town and everyone in the church was insane blaming all the innocent people for things that were out of their control. She also thought the girls they were listening to were fools and she thought they were even bigger fools for listening to children. She told the court that she was innocent; she didn’t know what a witch was. They simply told her that how could she not know if she was one if she didn’t know what a witch is.