by Arthur Miller Literature Guide Developed by Kristen Bowers for Secondary Solutions

Transcription

1 The Crucible by Arthur Miller Literature Guide Developed by Kristen Bowers for Secondary Solutions ISBN Secondary Solutions. All rights reserved. A classroom teacher who has purchased this guide may photocopy the materials in this publication for his/her classroom use only. Use or reproduction by a part of or an entire school or school system, by for-profit tutoring centers and like institutions, or for commercial sale, is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, translated or stored without the express written permission of the publisher. Created and printed in the United States of America. Secondary Solutions THE FIRST SOLUTION FOR THE SECONDARY TEACHER Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

2 Table of Contents The Crucible About This Literature Guide... 4 How to Use Our Literature Guides... 5 Standards Focus: Author Biography Arthur Miller ( )... 6 Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing Arthur Miller Biography... 7 Prior Knowledge Assessment Activity... 8 Part One: What Do You Know?... 8 Part Two: What Does the Class Know?... 9 Standards Focus: Elements of Drama Literary Terms to Know Terminology to Know Vocabulary List Exploring Expository Writing: Notes on the Historical Accuracy of The Crucible Exploring Expository Writing: Notes on The New England Primer Historical Context: The Salem Witch-Hunt Chronology of Events Historical Context: Witchcraft in Puritan New England Exploring Expository Writing/Historical Context: Puritan Religion and Beliefs Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials Standards Focus: Note-Taking and Summarizing Act One Standards Focus: Note-Taking and Summarizing Standards Focus: Characterization Standards Focus: Character Relationships Assessment Preparation: Word Parts Comprehension Check Act Two Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing Standards Focus: Types of Conflict Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary in Context Comprehension Check Act Three Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing Standards Focus: Irony Assessment Preparation: Word Roots Comprehension Check Act Four Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing Standards Focus: Tragedy and the Tragic Hero Assessment Preparation: Connotation/Denotation Comprehension Check Act One Quiz Act One Vocabulary Quiz Act Two Quiz Act Two Vocabulary Quiz Act Three Quiz Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

3 Act Three Vocabulary Quiz Act Four Quiz Act Four Vocabulary Quiz Final Exam Final Exam Multiple Choice Version Teacher Guide Summary of the Play Vocabulary List with Definitions Post-Reading Extension Activities and Alternative Assessment Essay and Writing Ideas Pre-Reading Ideas and Activities Project Rubric Response to Literature Rubric Answer Key Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

4 About This Literature Guide Secondary Solutions is the endeavor of a high school English teacher who could not seem to find appropriate materials to help her students master the necessary concepts at the secondary level. She grew tired of spending countless hours researching, creating, writing, and revising lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes, tests and extension activities to motivate and inspire her students, and at the same time, address those ominous content standards! Materials that were available were either juvenile in nature, skimpy in content, or were moderately engaging activities that did not come close to meeting the content standards on which her students were being tested. Frustrated and tired of trying to get by with inappropriate, inane lessons, she finally decided that if the right materials were going to be available to her and other teachers, she was going to have to make them herself! Mrs. Bowers set to work to create one of the most comprehensive and innovative Literature Guide sets on the market. Joined by a middle school teacher with 21 years of secondary school experience, Secondary Solutions began, and has matured into a specialized team of intermediate and secondary teachers who have developed for you a set of materials unsurpassed by all others. Before the innovation of Secondary Solutions, materials that could be purchased offered a reproducible student workbook and a separate set of teacher materials at an additional cost. Other units provided the teacher with student materials only, and very often, the content standards were ignored. Secondary Solutions provides all the necessary materials for complete coverage of the literature units of study, including author biographies, pre-reading activities, numerous and varied vocabulary and comprehension activities, study-guide questions, graphic organizers, literary analysis and critical thinking activities, essay-writing ideas, extension activities, quizzes, unit tests, alternative assessment, online teacher assistance, and much, much more. Each guide is designed to address the unique learning styles and comprehension levels of every student in your classroom. All materials are written and presented at the grade level of the learner, and include extensive coverage of the content standards. As an added bonus, all teacher materials are included! As a busy teacher, you don t have time to waste reinventing the wheel. You want to get down to the business of teaching! With our professionally developed teacher-written literature guides, Secondary Solutions has provided you with the answer to your time management problems, while saving you hours of tedious and exhausting work. Our guides will allow you to focus on the most important aspects of teaching the personal, one-on-one, hands-on instruction you enjoy most the reason you became a teacher in the first place. Secondary Solutions The First Solution for the Secondary Teacher! 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

5 How to Use Our Literature Guides Our Literature Guides are based upon the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Readers Association s national English/Language Arts Curriculum and Content Area Standards. The materials we offer allow you to teach the love and full enjoyment of literature, while still addressing the concepts upon which your students are assessed. These Guides are designed to be used in their sequential entirety, or may be divided into separate parts. Not all activities must be used, but to achieve full comprehension and mastery of the skills involved, it is recommended that you utilize everything each Guide has to offer. Most importantly, you now have a variety of valuable materials to choose from, and you are not forced into extra work. There are several distinct categories within each Literature Guide: Comprehension Check: Exploring Expository Writing Worksheets designed to address the exploration and analysis of functional and/or informational materials Author Biography Biographies of non-fiction characters Relevant news and magazine articles, etc. Comprehension Check Similar to Exploring Expository Writing, but designed for comprehension of narrative text study questions designed to guide students as they read the text. In other words, have they done the reading? Questions are intended to check simple understanding and may be deliberately set at the lowerlevels of questioning. Standards Focus Worksheets and activities that directly address the content standards and allow students extensive practice in literary skills and analysis. Standards Focus activities are found with every chapter or section. These include higher-level questioning. Some examples: Figurative Language Irony Flashback Please note: While there is a specific focus for these Standards Focus activities, other standards are addressed at the same time. Consult your state s content standards often for these specific correlations. Assessment Preparation Vocabulary activities which emulate the types of vocabulary/grammar proficiency on which students are tested in state and national assessments. Assessment Preparation activities are found within every chapter or section. Some examples: Context Clues Connotation/Denotation Word Roots Please note: While there is a specific focus for these Standards Focus activities, other standards are addressed at the same time. Consult your state s content standards often for these specific correlations. Quizzes and Tests Quizzes are included for each chapter or designated section; final tests as well as alternative assessment are available at the end of each Guide. These include: Multiple Choice Matching Short Response Pre-Reading, Post-Reading Activities, Essay / Writing Ideas plus Rubrics Each Guide also has its own unique pre-reading, post reading and essay/writing ideas and alternative assessment activities. We hope you can effectively utilize every aspect our Literature Guides have to offer we want to make things easier on you! If you need additional assistance, please us at: info@4secondarysolutions.com. For specific information on how the Guides are directly correlated to your state s content standards, please write us an , including the name of your state, and send it to: contentstandards@4secondarysolutions.com. Thank you for choosing Secondary Solutions The First Solution for the Secondary Teacher! 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

6 Standards Focus: Author Biography Arthur Miller ( ) Known and respected for his intimate and realistic portrayal of the working class, Arthur Miller remains one of the most prolific playwrights of his time. At the peak of his career immediately following World War II, American theater was transformed by his profound ability to capture the heart of the common man and make his audiences empathize with his plight as he attempts to find his way in an often harsh and unsympathetic world. Arthur Miller was born in 1915 in New York, into a middle-class Jewish immigrant family. His father was a clothing manufacturer and store owner who experienced significant loss after the Stock Market Crash of Miller attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, and was a gifted athlete and an average student. After being rejected the first time, Miller was finally accepted into the University of Michigan in 1934, where his studies focused on drama and journalism. He graduated in 1938 with a Bachelor s degree in English. Two years later, he published his first play, the relatively unsuccessful The Man Who Had All the Luck and married his college girlfriend Mary Slattery, with whom he later had two children, Robert and Jane. Miller s first prominent play was All My Sons (1947), a tragedy about a factory owner who knowingly sold faulty aircraft parts during World War II. All My Sons won the Drama Critics Circle award and two Tony Awards. His 1949 play Death of a Salesman was also an enormous critical success, winning the Drama Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and several Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Author, and Best director. To this day, Death of a Salesman remains his most famous and respected work. In 1950, Miller s troubles began. After directing a production of Henrik Ibsen s An Enemy of the People, Miller began getting negative attention for his very public political and social commentary. In 1953 The Crucible opened on Broadway, depicting a deliberate parallel between the Salem Witch Trials and the Communist Red Scare that America was experiencing at the time. This production brought more suspicion onto Miller at a very unstable time in American history, and in June of 1956, he was called to testify in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), for which he was found in contempt of court for his refusal to cooperate and identify names of Communist sympathizers. This ruling was later overturned by the United States Court of Appeals, but damage to his reputation had taken place nonetheless. That same year, he divorced his wife and married actress and American icon Marilyn Monroe; however, his marriage to Monroe did not last long they divorced in His plays After the Fall (1964) and Finishing the Picture (2004) are said to loosely depict their turbulent and unhappy marriage. After divorcing Monroe, Miller married Inge Morath, with whom he had a son, Daniel, in 1962 and a daughter, Rebecca, in There have been unconfirmed reports that Miller s son Daniel was diagnosed with Down syndrome shortly after he was born and that Miller institutionalized Daniel and never saw or spoke of him again, even in his poignant autobiography Timebends: A Life (1987). Miller's other plays include Incident at Vichy (1965), The Price (1968), The Creation of the World and Other Business (1972), The American Clock (1980), The Ride down Mount Morgan (1991), Broken Glass (1994), and Resurrection Blues (2002). He also wrote a novel, Focus (1945), a book of short stories in 1967, several screenplays and television movies, and Echoes down the Corridor (2000), a collection of essays. In addition, he collaborated with Inge (who was a photographer) on several books. He received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1999 and the National Book Foundation s medal for his contribution to American literature in Arthur Miller died of heart failure in February of 2005 at his Connecticut home. He was 89 years old Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

7 Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing Arthur Miller Biography Directions: Use the biography of Arthur Miller on page 6 to answer the following questions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line provided. 1. What is the author s purpose for writing this biography about Arthur Miller? a. To persuade the reader to read Miller s plays b. To describe Miller s home life while growing up c. To inform the reader about Miller s life and works d. To entertain the reader before reading Miller s plays 2. Based upon the information given in paragraph 3, the reader can assume that: a. Miller was a talented and respected writer. b. Miller was appreciative of the awards he received. c. Miller did not use success as his motivation. d. Miller was paid large sums of money for his work. 3. Which event happened the same year that Miller was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee? a. All My Sons won the Pulitzer Prize. b. Miller s son Daniel was born. c. Miller married Marilyn Monroe. d. Miller s conviction for contempt was overturned. 4. In which paragraph would it be most appropriate to insert information about Miller s connection with Elia Kazan, a friend and former member of the Communist party? a. paragraph 1 b. paragraph 2 c. paragraph 3 d. paragraph 4 5. Read the following sentence: His father was a clothing manufacturer and store owner who experienced significant loss after the Stock Market Crash of Which word or words would best replace the underlined words in the sentence above? a. caught a wealth of poverty b. wasted his money c. fell into poverty d. was made poor 6. Which of the following would be least likely to fit in the article on page 6? a. A paragraph highlighting Miller s testimony to the HUAC b. A paragraph about Marilyn Monroe s movies c. A paragraph about Miller s writings in college d. A paragraph about the authors and playwrights who influenced Miller 7. Which of the following questions would be most appropriate to ask Miller if you were a reporter who had been granted an interview with him? a. How did your Jewish upbringing influence your work? b. Which of your three wives did you love the most? c. How much money do you make? d. Why did you get married so many times? 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

8 Prior Knowledge Assessment Activity Part One: What Do You Know? Before reading The Crucible, complete the following, indicating on a scale of 1-5 how well you know (or think you know) each topic. Directions: Fill in the column next to each topic with a 1-5, according to the scale below. Then, for each topic in which you indicated your knowledge level as a 3, 4, or 5, write down anything you can think of that you know or remember about the topic. 5- I know this topic so well I could teach most everything about it to another person. 4- I know this topic well, but would need a good refresher lesson in order to explain it. 3- I have heard of this topic, and know a few things about it. 2- I have heard of this topic, but I don t know anything about it. 1- I have never heard of this topic. Topic Knowledge Level, 1-5 What I Know / Think I Know / Remember About This Topic The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Witchcraft in the 16 th and 17 th Centuries Puritan Religion and Beliefs Joseph McCarthy; Hearings of the 1950s Communism and the House Un- American Activities Committee The Red Scare and Blacklists 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

9 Prior Knowledge Assessment Activity Part Two: What Does the Class Know? Once everyone has completed Part One, discuss each topic as a class and fill in the chart below with the knowledge your classmates and teacher have to offer. In your discussion, try to filter out false or misleading information in order to have an accurate and comprehensive study sheet. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Witchcraft in the 16 th and 17 th Centuries Puritan Religion and Beliefs Joseph McCarthy; Hearings of the 1950s Communism and the House Un-American Activities Committee The Red Scare and Blacklists 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

10 Standards Focus: Elements of Drama Literary Terms to Know Drama is a form of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience. There are two main types of drama: comedy and tragedy. Like fiction, dramatic works have a plot (action of the story), characters (those who take part in the action of the story), setting (the time and location of the story), conflict (the struggle[s] within a story), and a theme (the lesson or moral of the story). It is essential to know the elements of drama when reading a dramatic work. 1. act: a division within a play, much like the chapters of a novel 2. aside: lines that are spoken by a character directly to the audience 3. cast of characters: a listing of the characters who appear on the stage 4. comedy: a humorous work of drama 5. dialogue: conversation between two or more characters 6. drama: a work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience 7. dramatic irony: when the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know 8. foil: a character who is much like another character in class, rank, and background, but has opposite traits which provide a contrast and conflict between the two characters 9. monologue: a long speech spoken by a character to himself, another character, or to the audience 10. scene: a division of an act into smaller parts 11. stage directions: italicized comments that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give further information about a character, or provide background information 12. tragedy: a serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune, usually because of his own actions 13. tragic hero: a protagonist with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to his demise Activity: Using the words from the list above, create a 10-question Multiple-Choice quiz. You must use the information/definitions from this page, but you may also add your own knowledge to create your questions. Be sure to create an answer key and keep it on a separate piece of paper. For example: 1. The two main types of drama are: a. plays and monologues c. histories and biographies b. comedies and tragedies d. monologues and soliloquies When you have finished, give the quiz to a partner and take his or her quiz. Then, check each other s answers, and turn in your quizzes, your answer key, and your scores to your teacher. Your teacher can even find the best questions and use them on a real quiz Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

11 The Crucible Terminology to Know Although Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in the 1950s, he wrote in the archaic language of the 1600s, giving a more authentic feel to the play. Some vocabulary may be unfamiliar to you or may be used in a way in which you do not normally see it used, but were commonly understood words of the English language in the 17 th Century. As you come across these words, use the list below to aid your comprehension of the play. Act One 1. hearty well 2. bid told 3. aye yes 4. opened been honest 5. nay no 6. sport a game 7. Goody Mrs. 8. blink pay no attention to 9. naught nothing 10. mark listen to; remember 11. clapped in the stocks placed in the stocks (a punishment device in which the offender was secured by the hands and feet or head and hands and was left outside to be publicly humiliated or abused) 12. wintry unfriendly 13. charge accusation or reason 14. writ a court order 15. pray please 16. incubi and succubi (plural form for incubus and succubus) male and female demons, respectively, who were believed to have intercourse with people while they were asleep 17. irons iron restraints Act Two 1. strip cut into smaller pieces; disassemble 2. would wish; wish to 3. bewitchin putting a curse on; using magic or other supernatural force against 4. fraud lie or person who lies 5. let you you should 6. be were; are 7. weighty important 8. base immoral 9. how comes it why is it 10. quail show fear or apprehension 11. text pretext; a made-up reason or excuse Act Three 1. broke charity broke trust; turned against 2. put-upon treated badly 3. ipso facto because of that very fact 4. suck a scream accuse 5. what say you? what do you have to say? Act Four 1. with child pregnant 2. marked scheduled 3. bridegroom groom or male suitor 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

12 The Crucible Vocabulary List Using a dictionary, look up the following vocabulary words. Keep the list and definitions to help you with future vocabulary activities. crucible 1) a heat-resistant container in which ores or metals are melted 2) a severe personal test, trial, or ordeal Act One 1. abomination 2. conjured 3. contention 4. deference 5. innate 6. licentious 7. manifestation 8. paradox 9. prodigious 10. vindictive Act Two 1. ameliorate 2. avid 3. blasphemy 4. crone 5. flailing 6. indignant 7. pallor 8. poppet 9. vengeance 10. wily Act Three 1. abundant 2. auger 3. deposition 4. effrontery 5. gait 6. imperceptible 7. incredulously 8. plaintiff 9. vestry 10. wrath Act Four 1. agape 2. beguile 3. cleave 4. disputation 5. excommunication 6. gaunt 7. gibbet 8. indictment 9. reprieve 10. sibilance 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

13 Exploring Expository Writing: Notes on the Historical Accuracy of The Crucible Before the text of the play begins, Arthur Miller included the following note on the historical accuracy of his play: This play is not history in the sense in which the word is used by the academic historian. Dramatic purposes have sometimes required many characters to be fused into one; the number of girls involved in the crying out has been reduced; Abigail s age has been raised; while there were several judges of almost equal authority, I have symbolized them all in Hathorne and Danforth. However, I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters of human history. The fate of each character is exactly that of his historical model, and there is no one in the drama who did not play a similar and in some cases exactly the same role in history. As for the characters of the persons, little is known about most of them excepting what may be surmised from a few letters, the trial record, certain broadsides written at the time, and references to their conduct in sources of varying reliability. They may therefore be taken as creations of my own, drawn to the best of my ability in conformity with their known behavior, except as indicated in the commentary I have written for this text. Directions: After reading the passage above, answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper using complete sentences. 1. What do you think Miller meant when he wrote, This play is not history in the sense in which the word is used by the academic historian? In what sense of history do you think the play was written? Why? 2. In what medium have you seen the concept based on a true story? What does this phrase mean? Why do you think authors and screenwriters might alter history or true events? 3. What does Miller mean when he says that he has symbolized them all in Hathorne and Danforth? Why do you think Miller did this? 4. Miller states that The fate of each character is exactly that of his historical model... What does Miller mean by this statement? 5. Why did Miller have a difficult time creating the characters exactly as they were in real life? 6. What does Miller mean by the phrase sources of varying reliability? Why might this be a problem for Miller and historians alike? 7. Overall, what is the message Miller wants the reader to understand from this note on the historical accuracy of the play? Why do you think he included this note in the text of the play? What do you think might have been the result if he had not included this note? 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

14 Exploring Expository Writing: Notes on The New England Primer In the early settlements of New England, religion was clearly a powerful influence on all aspects of life. In 1642, a law was passed stating that all children should learn to read. It was believed that as students became literate and were able to read the Bible, they became stronger against Satan and his influence. The New England Primer was the first textbook ever used by students throughout New England, including Boston, Massachusetts. It was first printed in Boston in 1690, and was a revision of an earlier version used throughout England. Used by schools into the 19 th century, it was a required text from which every child learned the alphabet, spelling, grammar, and reading. However, since religion and morality were so important, the children of New England didn t just learn the alphabet; they learned morality, ethics, and Bible teachings at the same time. Emphasis was placed on God s salvation, and included sayings that helped children learn to fear God, live a morally responsible life, and fear death without salvation. Here are some examples from the text: A B D F G In Adam's fall Time cuts down all. Thy life to mend This book attend. A dog will bite A thief at night. The idle fool Is whipt at school. As runs the glass, Man's life doth pass. T W X Y Time cuts down all, Both great and small. Whales in the sea, God's voice obey. Xerxes the great did die, And so must you & I. Youth forward slips, Death soonest nips. A Lesson for Children Pray to God. Love God. Fear God. Serve God. Take not God's name in vain. Spend your time well. Do not swear. Do not steal. Cheat not in your play. Play not with bad boys. Call no ill names. Use no ill words. Tell no lies. Hate lies. Speak the truth. Love your school. Mind your Book. Strive to learn. Be not a dunce. Duty of Children Toward Their Parents The Eye that mocketh his Father, and despiseth the Instruction of his Mother, let the Ravens of the Valley pluck it out, and the young Eagles eat it. Whoso curseth his Father or his Mother, his Lamp shall be put out in obscure Darkness. Proverbs, 20:20 Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper. 1. What is your reaction to the excerpts from the Primer? Explain both your positive and negative reactions. 2. Why do you think the Primer was so popular for so many years? 3. How do you think children generally behaved, judging from these teachings? 4. Do you think children today should be taught from a Primer like this? Why or why not? What changes would you make to it so that it would be more appropriate to today s world? 5. Do you think society would be better if children were taught religious morals and ethics in school? Why or why not? 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

15 Historical Context: The Salem Witch-Hunt Chronology of Events The following timeline is a chronology of the actual events in Salem during and after the Salem witch trials. Use this timeline to compare and contrast the events in Miller s adaptation of the Salem witch-hunt and trials Thirteen year-old Martha Goodwin begins to exhibit strange behavior after an alleged argument between her and her Irish housekeeper, Ann Glover. After her younger siblings begin to exhibit the same symptoms, the children together accuse Glover of bewitching them. Glover is put on trial and after refusing to speak anything other than her native Irish in the courtroom, Glover is found guilty and hanged for practicing witchcraft against the Goodwin children. Cotton Mather publishes Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions. Mather is a great influence upon the concept and acceptance of spectral evidence (evidence of dreams and visions) in trial January Elizabeth Parris (9) and Abigail Williams (11) exhibit unusual behavior, including screaming, convulsing, cursing, and falling into trances. Since there is no medical explanation for their behavior, it is concluded that the girls are under the Devil s spell. February The girls are forced to place blame for their strange behavior: they accuse Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn, and Tituba, the Reverend Parris s slave from Barbados. On February 29, arrest warrants are issued for the three women. March On March 1, the first three accused are put in jail. The women are later examined for the Devil s marks. Under extreme threats and pressure, Tituba confesses to practicing witchcraft and of seeing the devil, which she claims appeared to her in various forms. She confirms Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn are practicing witchcraft. More accusations are made, and the witch-hunt escalates. Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth Proctor are also accused. April Attempting to defend her sister Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Cloyce is also accused. Similarly, defending his wife s name, John Proctor becomes the first man accused of witchcraft. In early April, Mary Warren, the Proctors accuser, retracts her accusation; later, under pressure, she overturns her retraction. By the end of April, between twenty-two and twenty-five people are accused of practicing witchcraft, including former Salem minister George Burroughs. May Due to a lack of official governance, the accused are imprisoned until May, when newly appointed Governor Sir William Phips arrives and institutes a trial system; the trials begin. George Burroughs is arrested in Maine and returned to a Salem jail. Sarah Good s newborn and Sarah Osburn die in jail while Osburn and Good are awaiting trial. Mary Easty is released, but rearrested after the public protests. June Bridget Bishop is convicted and sentenced to die by hanging. Cotton Mather writes a letter urging a speedy trial for the accused. July-September Rebecca Nurse, George Burroughs, Sarah Good, John Proctor, and others are found guilty, sentenced, and hung. Only those who plead guilty to witchcraft and supply the names of others to the court are spared execution. Elizabeth Proctor and at least one other woman are spared because they are pregnant. Giles Corey is pressed to death after he refuses to enter a plea to the charges against him. October The Reverend Increase Mather, father of Cotton Mather, declares that spectral evidence (the idea of dreams and visions as evidence) should no longer be allowed in court. Governor Phips orders that spectral evidence is no longer admitted as evidence. Phips also prohibits further arrests and releases many of the accused January Forty-nine of the 52 people accused based on spectral evidence are released. By this time, 24 people have died; 19 by hanging, 1 by pressing, and others from old age or poor living conditions while in prison. May Phips pardons those still imprisoned on charges of witchcraft The General Court declares the 1692 Salem Trials unlawful The Massachusetts Colony clears the names of the accused and gives monetary retribution to the families of the accused Massachusetts formally apologizes for the events of Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

16 Historical Context: Witchcraft in Puritan New England In 1650, when the Puritans left England and set off to seek religious freedom in America, the fear of witchcraft was very real. For thousands of years, Satan was blamed for any and all oddities or mysteries in life; anyone who was in opposition to the concepts or ideas of Christianity was said to be connected to Satan and his evil work, and therefore considered a heretic. Under the duress of extreme torture, many accused heretics confessed to flying on poles, practicing magic, engaging in sexual misconduct, and seeing Satan in various forms. In 1487, the Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of Witches) was published, and quickly became the official text for the detection and persecution of witches. The Malleus Maleficarum told tales of women (the weaker and less intellectual beings, according to the text) who, under the influence of the Devil, had sexual intercourse with demons, killed babies, destroyed crops, and caused general mayhem. Witches were blamed for unexpected deaths, natural disasters, sterility, sick livestock, and even strange weather. Also within the text were methods for prosecuting a witch, including stripping the accused and inspecting the body for signs such as unusual birthmarks (believed to be the Devil s mark). When the Malleus Maleficarum was written, the idea of witchcraft was not popularly accepted, but the text quickly convinced many of the threat and danger of witches. Between 1500 and 1650, approximately 70,000 accused witches were executed throughout Europe approximately eighty percent of whom were women. Those who were accused were usually social outcasts, elderly women, single mothers, widows, the disabled, the poor, husbands of the accused, and those who publicly denied the existence of witches. The most prevalent times these witch-hunts occurred throughout history were times of political and social strife. People wanted someone to blame for their misfortune, and would literally hunt down their scapegoats. The accused were guilty until proven innocent. The courts of New England recognized two forms of evidence of witchcraft: either an eyewitness account or a confession. Since very few confessed of their own will, torture was used to coerce a confession. The accused was jailed, then subjected to several forms of torture to elicit a confession. Some of the torture devices included: Strappado The accused was bound and hung by her arms, which were tied behind her back. Weights were often hung from her feet to increase the pain, and usually caused her arms to break at her shoulders. Swimming It was believed that a witch would not sink in water. The accused was tied up and thrown into a lake or pond; a witch would float, and the innocent would sink. Many drowned as a result. Ordeal by Fire The defendant was forced to carry or walk on hot coals. The burns were wrapped and treated. After three days, upon examination of the wounds, if there was an open sore, the defendant was found guilty. Ordeal by Water The defendant was forced to repeatedly place her arm in a pot of boiling water. Again, if there was still evidence of the burn after three days, she was found guilty of being a witch. Thumbscrews The accused s thumbs were place in a vice and crushed incrementally to extract a confession. Pricking Since it was a widely held belief that witches did not bleed, those who were accused were subjected to hundreds of pin pricks or cuts, as the court diligently looked for the absence of blood. The Rack The accused was laid on a large board of wood with her hands and feet tied. As the accusers tried to extract a confession, her arms and ankles were pulled in opposite directions, often resulting in dislocation of the limbs. Under these various forms of torture, many falsely confessed to practicing witchcraft. After the courts had a confession, trials resumed, and the witches who were found guilty (as were all who confessed) were publicly hanged or burned at the stake Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

17 Exploring Expository Writing/Historical Context: Puritan Religion and Beliefs Frustrated by the Church of England, early Puritans came to America to escape persecution and to establish a new sect in which God s law was held supreme. They believed that the Bible and its message were above man s law, and therefore, it was the key to salvation. Most of the dissenters settled in New England, and it was in these new colonies that they established a close-knit community governed by absolute religious faith and strict discipline. The Puritans believed in predestination that people were either born sinful and bound to a life in Hell, or they were destined to be saved. Nothing could be done to change one s destiny except to live a life of purity and pray that God would save them at the time of their death. Puritans believed in a life of hard work, self-discipline, and religious duty. Those who engaged in gossip, dancing, drunkenness, adultery, and other activities which were seen as the work of the Devil and a threat to the conformity of the community were subjected to public humiliation and punishment. This strict, oppressive environment created tension in the community. Satan was ever-present in their daily lives, as death, drought, flood, and other natural disasters were blamed on Satan and his followers. As a result, Puritans became paranoid and suspicious of each other, and were often quick to place blame. This tension and paranoia created the perfect equation for the Salem Witch-hunt in Spurred by political and social unrest in the community, and religious leaders such as Cotton Mather who wrote the book Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions (1689), the hysteria in Salem spread like wildfire. By the end of the trials in 1692, nineteen men and women were hanged, one man was pressed to death, and many others died in prison while awaiting trial. Directions: Choose the letter of the best response. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line provided. 1. What is the main purpose of the article above? a. to compare the Puritan ideals and beliefs to the beliefs of the Church of England b. to analyze the relationship between the Puritans ideals and beliefs and the witchcraft accusations c. to persuade the reader to take the side of the Puritans d. to describe the influence Cotton Mather had on the Puritans 2. During the Colonial period, fear of the Devil was prevalent. This is most apparent in which of the following paragraphs? a. paragraphs 1 and 4 b. paragraphs 1 and 2 c. paragraphs 2 and 3 d. paragraphs 3 and 4 3. Which of the following would probably be the best source of information for a research report on this topic? a. The Encyclopedia of World Religions b. The Witch-hunts of Europe and America c. The Salem Herald d. Puritan History: From the Outcasts to the Accusers 4. Which of the following research questions would be most useful in finding out more about Puritan religion and beliefs? a. What holidays did the Puritans celebrate? b. How did the Puritans feel about the Native Americans they encountered in America? c. What ideals were the Puritans taught in church and school? d. How many Puritans left the church to join a different religion? 5. On a separate piece of paper, use the above article to summarize what life was life for the Puritans in America. Then compare the life of the Puritans to your own are there similarities? What are the differences? Explain using examples from the article and your own life experiences Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

18 Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials In 1950, Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a parallel between the Salem Witch trials and the current events that were spreading throughout the United States at the time. A similar witch-hunt was happening in the United States---and this time, the accused were those who were a part of the Communist Party or were Communist sympathizers. Shortly after the end of World War I, a Red Scare took hold of the nation. Named after the red flag of the U.S.S.R. (now Russia), the Reds were seen as a threat to the democracy of the United States. Fear, paranoia, and hysteria gripped the nation, and many innocent people were questioned and then jailed for expressing any view which was seen as anti-democratic or anti-american. In June of 1940, Congress passed the Alien Registration Act, which required anyone who was not a legal resident of the United States to file a statement of their occupational and personal status, which included a record of their political beliefs. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which was established in 1938, had the job of investigating those who were suspected of overthrowing or threatening the democracy of the U.S. As the Alien Registration Act gathered the information, the HUAC began hunting down those who were believed to be a threat to American beliefs. The HUAC established that Communist beliefs were being spread via mass media. At this time, movies were becoming more liberal, and therefore, were believed to be a threat; many felt that Hollywood was attempting to propagandize Communist beliefs. In September of 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee subpoenaed nineteen witnesses (most of whom were actors, directors, and writers) who had previously refused comment, claiming their Fifth Amendment rights. Eleven of the 17 were called to testify; only one actually spoke on the stand the remaining ten refused to speak and were labeled the Hollywood Ten. After these infamous ten refused to speak, executives from the movie industry met to decide how to best handle the bad press. They decided to suspend all ten without pay. Although the initial intention was to save their box office reputation, what eventually resulted was a decade-long blacklist. Hundreds of people who worked in the industry were told to point the finger naming those who had any affiliation with the Communist party. As a result, over 200 people lost their jobs and were unable to find anyone who would hire them. The Communist witch-hunt ruined the careers of hundreds, and ruined the reputation of hundreds more. In February of 1950, a Republican senator from Wisconsin named Joseph McCarthy claimed to have a list of over 200 card-carrying members of the Communist party. By 1951, a new flourish of accusations began and a new wave were subpoenaed to name names to snitch on those who were Communists or believed to be Communist sympathizers. Later, the terms McCarthy Trials and McCarthyism were coined, which described the anti-communist movement and trials of the 1950s. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953, after witnessing first-hand the modern witch-hunt that had taken place in the United States. Miller wrote the controversial play as an allegory, a play which represents something much deeper. In this case, the story is about the Salem witch trials of the 1690s, but warns of history repeating these tragic events in the 1950s Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

19 Standards Focus: Note-Taking and Summarizing For some students, reading can be a difficult, even boring task. Part of the problem is that many students do not have the tools to read for meaning, and become disinterested because they cannot follow the action or do not understand, or cannot relate to, the events or the characters. To develop good reading habits, there are a few steps that you can take which will help you to understand and appreciate what you are reading. As you read each act of The Crucible: Question Ask yourself, where is this story, act, scene, etc. taking place? What has happened before this? Who are the characters involved? What do I not understand? What do I need to re-read? What do I need my teacher to clarify? Predict Try to make guesses or predictions as to what may happen next in the story. This will help you to stay focused on what you read next, as you try to unravel the plot: What will happen next? What effect will this event have on the characters? On the plot? Connect Try to relate to the events or characters in what you are reading. Has this or something like this ever happened to you? How did you handle this situation? Have you ever known a person who was or is like any of the characters? What other stories come to mind when reading? Why? Are there any lessons or themes you have seen before? Summarize Break down the most important information, details, or events of the act. Reflect Think about why you are reading the story. What do you think is the theme? What have you learned so far? Why are you reading this particular text in school? Do you like the story? Why or why not? Would you want to read or learn more about this author/ genre/ topic? Why or why not? To help you become a more successful reader, you will be completing an activity for each act of The Crucible. Each activity is designed to help you understand the action, conflict, and characters, and to eventually appreciate the author s reasons for writing the play. Below is a sample of the chart you will be completing. Use this page for reference when completing the chart for Act One on the next page. Question In this space, write the names of the characters involved, as well as where and when the story is taking place. Next, write down questions you have about the story or characters, and any questions about the reading that you do not understand and/or would like your teacher to clarify. Predict In this space, write your prediction of what you think will happen next in the story. Connect In this space, write down anything that you find familiar: either a situation you have experienced, a character that reminds you of someone, or an event from the story that is similar to something you have already read. Summarize Re-tell, in your own words, the main plot and important details of your reading. Your summary should not be more than about one paragraph, or 5-7 sentences long. Reflect In this space, write down any quotes, sayings, or moments that affect you in some way. So far, what do you think is the reason the author wrote this play? Are there any themes you recognize? Do you like the play so far? Why or why not? What changes could be made so that you understand or connect with the play better? What else would you like to learn about this author/genre/topic? 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

20 Act One Standards Focus: Note-Taking and Summarizing Directions: Refer to the chart on page 19, Note-Taking and Summarizing. Use it to complete the following chart as you read Act One of the play. Question Predict Connect Summarize Reflect 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide

21 Act One Standards Focus: Characterization In order to understand a plot and its significance, it is important that the reader understand the characters and their relationships. In every story, each character has a motivation, which are forces and reasons that give the character a reason to act the way they do, or make the decisions they make. We can learn about a character s motivations and personality from the author s use of direct and indirect characterization. Direct characterization is when the author or narrator directly tells the reader what a character is like. For example, Jennifer is a fiery red-head with the tenacity of a mule. Indirect characterization is when the author gives information about a character and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about that character. Two of the ways we can learn about a character through indirect characterization are: The character s own thoughts, feelings and actions What other characters say or feel or how they act towards another character Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces. A character s motivation and a character s conflict are closely related. For example, if you wanted to buy a candy bar to get an energy boost while studying, that would be your motivation. Your conflict would be the fact that you do not have any money. How you respond to wanting that candy bar and not having any money would reveal a lot about your personality. If your choice is to say Oh, well, maybe next time, then we learn that you are rational, and able to set aside your desires. If your choice is to borrow money from a friend, we may learn that you are resourceful and possibly trustworthy, since your friend is willing to loan you money. If you decide to steal the candy bar, we may learn that you are impulsive, selfish, and immoral. Directions: For each of the following characters, use both direct and indirect characterization from Act One of the novel to identify: a) the character s main motivation b) the character s main conflict c) what the character s motivation and conflicts reveal about this his or her personality d) how this character and his or her motivations have affected the plot so far An example has been done for you: main motivation main conflict personality effect on plot main motivation main conflict to be with John Proctor Abigail she is unable to be with John because he and Elizabeth are still married; Abigail wants to get rid of Elizabeth conniving, lustful, vengeful, controlling, manipulative After Tituba is forced to confess, Abigail jumps in and starts accusing others Reverend Parris personality effect on plot 2006 Secondary Solutions The Crucible Literature Guide