The Crucible Notes

17a) People of Salem have the right to fear the proceedings of the court because Governor Danforth calls upon anyone who has been found on suspicious acts and that anyone can be targeted as the next person held in jail ready to be hanged. He fails to investigate evidence thus resulting in the society of Salem to break up. The people fear the court also because of the unjust trials which Danforth has placed upon innocent lives. However, Dandforth claims that no innocent person should fear the court if they know they are innocent. Abigail constantly accuses more and more women which are then reported to Danforth and is charged with witch-craft.

17b) When the population of Salem’s dominant emotion of fear is at it’s peak, the concept of belonging tied together the girls through fear of being found out and fear of exposing their leader, Abigail. The constant lies that the girls tell are told to protect the strength of the girls   and the power that they hold over others. However, in the Proctor family, the concept of belonging is divided by Abigail but the impact of Abigail’s lies later in the play lead to the family reuniting. Proctor now stands up for Elizabeth by standing up for what he believes in   even if it separates him from his religious community. When Proctor stands up for his beliefs, the role of Mary Warren who, for a moment, sees the truth but then reverts her story because of her fear against the girls. Where Mary Warren exclaims, “Abby, Abby, I’ll never hurt you more” when she gave in to Abigail’s pressure on the girls to support   her version of events. The girls would do anything to not just belong to the community but to a group in the community. They fear the need to belong.

19b) Miller creates hysteria in the scene by having a prior scene where it is very serious and almost getting to a breaking point in cracking out the truth. The scene before the bird scene is where the truth has been uncovered about Proctor’s lechery. Abigail cannot seem to...