The Crucible Psychological Analysis

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Click www.ondix.com to visit our student-to-student file sharing network. The Crucible In the past, present, and undoubtedly in the future, deceptive individuals take advantage of the anxieties and fears of society. When a society's insecurities are exposed and raw, a disconcerted mood spreads throughout the people. This contagion can engulf an entire population and become like a living entity, causing people to act rashly and hypocritically. Whether or not the fear is justified, a convincing individual can exploit a certain mentality called mob psychology. Mob psychology involves manipulating the hysteria of a crowd to fulfill one's desires. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Abigail Williams and other characters spread…show more content…
The hearings of Senator Joe McCarthy also utilize mob psychology for the benefit of an individual. McCarthy uses the fear of an attack by the Communist Soviet Union to build up hype in order to develop his political career. This fear that, 'in America, any man who is reactionary in his views is open to the charge of alliance with the Red hell' (1052), is an example of the fears people have of Communist infiltration. The 'Red hell' mentioned by the narrator is the Communist Party, and during the 1950s, one would be tried for treason if he or she is accused of being affiliated with this unfavorable party. The reaction of the people to this hype is just as McCarthy expects. The people become frightened and the truth becomes hazy. As a mechanism of defense, people begin to scapegoat each other. When high officials are eventually accused, the entire idea is dropped, and the emotions return back to normal. This is a parallel to the part Rebecca Nurse has in The Crucible. She is a highly respected community figure, and when she is accused of witchcraft, people begin to reevaluate the validity of the…show more content…
crucible past present undoubtedly future deceptive individuals take advantage anxieties fears society when society insecurities exposed disconcerted mood spreads throughout people this contagion engulf entire population become like living entity causing people rashly hypocritically whether fear justified convincing individual exploit certain mentality called psychology psychology involves manipulating hysteria crowd fulfill desires arthur miller crucible abigail williams other characters spread fear witches puritan town salem fear that they spread ends permeating their community dominating lives everyone town psychological phenomenon known mass hysteria important effect events crucible contains many important events that precede madness that ensues play abigail williams instance love affair with john proctor wants proctor leave wife elizabeth another character with hidden agenda thomas putnam hopes take over some neighbor land amplify situation group girls questioned ministers performing witch like rituals forest puritan belief century devil other demons live forest witchcraft performed there well dissembling citizens begin accuse others witchcraft with very selfish motive john proctor describes hysteria ensues vengeance walking salem vengeance talking about motive accusers accusers able away injustices court because townspeople extremely afraid witchcraft thus eager annihilate signs mass also incredible effect later play when trials take place many people being convicted

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