the crucible through historical lens

Question

4.Social commentary is when a writer uses his or her text to point out flaws about a society in order to make readers realize that those same flaws likely exist in their own society. What flaws is Miller pointing out based on what you have read so far?

5.What does this make you realize about our society today?

6.Ann Putnam admits that she sent Ruth to Parris's slave Tituba to see if she could conjure spirits of her dead babies. We learn from Abigail that Tituba comes from

Barbados. What was believed during this time period about the spiritual abilities of those from Barbados? *You may need to do some quick research to answer this question.

7.What might be the significance of the fact that Tituba is female and the young girls who were caught dancing are female?

8.Rebecca Nurse says, "Pray, calm yourselves. I have eleven children and I am twenty-six times a grandma, and I have seen them all through their silly seasons, and

when it comes to them, they will run the Devil bowlegged keeping up with their mischief. I think she'll wake when she tires of it." Explain this from a historical point of view.

9.What does this say about teenager from all time periods?

Answer 1

For question 4-

The social commentary that Miller created through "The Crucible" is phenomenal. In a time where the Red Scare was altering everyone's lives, Miller said "NO". People were being red listed if they were suspected of any form of Communism. Whether they were actually communists or not, these people were losing their jobs and livelihoods because of fear. Miller, who had studied the Salem witch trials in college realized how parallel these two events were. He just to write this play as a way of saying, "no, more. This needs to stop". He wanted politicians and those causing this scare to realize how ridiculous, hypocritical, and reckless they were.