The Crucible Questions

Question

1. what happens in the end of Act 1 scene 1 ?
2. What is really going on?
3. Where are the names coming from ?
4. Are the characters telling the truth? Why or why not? If not, why are they saying the things they are saying?

Answer 1

1. At the end of Act 1 Scene 1, Tituba, Abigail, and Betty begin shouting the names of all of the people they have seen with the Devil.
2. The reality is they haven't really seen any of these people with the Devil. The girls got caught attempting to do witchcraft in the forest by Parris. They do not want to get in trouble, or worse - deal with the consequences of witchcraft - so they "open their hearts to God" and begin naming off other people that Parris and Reverend Hale should go after for witchcraft.
3. The names are all names of the townspeople of Salem.
4. The girls are not telling the truth. They are trying to get themselves out of trouble. Abigail has the most to lose in this situation because she was very involved in the attempt at witchcraft (she drank a charm with blood in it in order to kill Proctor's wife). Abigail threatens the other girls and that is why all of the girls play along and accuse other townspeople of witchcraft.