The Crucible

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The Crucible By Arthur MillerName:____________________________________________________________________

Ms. N’s English Class Period: ______

DO NOT LOSE THIS. SERIOUSLY.

“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.”

--Arthur Miler

How do fear and greed control society?

STUDENT READER Part II

The Crucible

The Crucible- ACT IV Answer all parts of the question in complete sentences to be accepted.

1. Why has Reverend Hale returned to Salem? What is he advising the condemned to do?

2. What does Reverend Parris reveal about his niece Abigail?

3. What is the condition of Salem at this point? Provide 3 specific examples.

4. How do the proposed hangings of Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor differ from the past executions?

5. What does Reverend Hale mean when he says,"there is blood on my head!"?

6. What happened to Giles Corey?

7. What is John’s excuse for originally confessing?

8. Did you expect this ending? Why does John choose his decision?

A MATTER OF INTEGRITY – EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHARACTERS AND THEME

DIRECTIONS . After reading Act Four of The Crucible, complete all of the following directions to learn how characters can represent a point of view and to analyze the relationship between characters and theme

1. If Proctor had made a different decision at the end of the play, what effect would it have had? Which ending would be more effective for Miller’s theme? Why?

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The Crucible

The Crucible Movie Questions

Objective: SWBAT analyze multiple interpretations of a drama and evaluate how each version interprets the source text.Directions: Please answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1) Unlike the play, the producers of the movie decided to show you the girls and Tituba dancing in the forest. Why? What does this establish for the audience?

2.) What does Abby do immediately after she whispers in Tituba's ear in the forest? Why is this significant to the plot (show vs hearsay) and your perception of Abigail?

3.) The director chooses to set the first scene between Proctor and Abigail outside in secrecy, without Betty. Why do you think this was done? What impact does this change in scene have on their interaction?

4.) From Betty’s outbursts to adding the scene with Tituba being beaten, the film is much more violent than the play. Why was this change likely made? Although Miller wrote both the play and the movie script, consider the difference in audiences and understanding.

5.) In the play, only Betty and Abigail make outbursts at the end of Act I. What is the impact of increasing the number of girls?

6.) Abigail attempts to grope and is more aggressive with Proctor in the film. How do her actions influence the audience’s perception of her character?

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Yes! You get to watch the movie! No, you don’t just write down the differences you notice.

The Crucible

7.) Toward the end of the movie, people are seen avoiding Abigail in the streets and saying, "God have mercy on your soul." How does this impact her portrayal?

8.) Multiple interactions between Abigail and John are presented in the movie that are not in the original play. Summarize them and explain what purpose they serve.

a. in the forest (deleted scene from original play)

b. in the jail cell

9.) The play mentions certain deaths, but they are actually shown in the movie such as George Jacobs and Giles Corey. How are they portrayed in the film, and what impact does watching their death have on the audience?

10.) The movie version of The Crucible — also written by Arthur Miller — ends with the image of Proctor “being pushed off the cross beam, leaving the quivering rope.” This then — the quivering rope — becomes the final image of the movie. What might that rope symbolize?

11.) Most movies that are derived from books change drastically; however, The Crucible barely strays at all. With the exception of scenes taking place outside and a few added scenes, the film stays very close to the original script. What did you think of the film’s portrayal and how could it have been improved? Did you like the liberties the modern film took?

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The Crucible

The Milgram Experiment:A Lesson in Depravity, the Power of Authority, and Peer Pressure

The world was stunned with the happenings in Nazi Germany and their acquired surrounding territories that came out during the Eichmann Trials, held in Jerusalem in 1961. Eichmann, a high-ranking official of the Nazi Party, was on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Stanley Milgram (a Ph.D. student) devised a series of experiments to answer this question: "Could it be that Eichmann and his million accomplices in the Holocaust were just following orders? Could we call them all accomplices?"

The experiments on which his initial research was based were done at Yale from 1961-1962.

A Description of the Experiment

In response to a newspaper ad offering $4.00 for one hour's work, an individual was asked to take part in a Psychology experiment investigating memory and learning. He was introduced to a stern looking experimenter in a white coat and a rather pleasant and friendly co-subject. The experimenter explained that the experiment will look into the role of punishment in learning, and that one will be the "teacher" and one will be the "learner" (or "student"). Lots were drawn to determine roles, and it was decided that the individual who answered the ad is the "teacher."

The "learner" (student) was taken to a room where he was strapped in a chair to prevent movement and an electrode was placed on his arm. The "teacher" was taken to an adjoining room, which contains a generator. The "teacher" was instructed to read a list of two word pairs and ask the "learner" to read them back. If the "learner" got the answer correct, then they moved on to the next word. If the answer was incorrect, the "teacher" was supposed to shock the "learner" starting at 15 volts.

The generator had 30 switches; each was labeled with a voltage ranging from 15 up to 450 volts. Each switch also has a rating, ranging from "slight shock" to "danger: severe shock". The final two switches were labeled "XXX”. The "teacher" was supposed

to increase the shock each time the "learner" missed a word in the list. Although the "teacher" thought that he/she was administering shocks to the "learner", the "learner" was actually an actor who never experienced the shocks.

At times, the worried "teacher" questioned the "experimenter," asking who was responsible for any harmful effects resulting from shocking the learner at such a high level. Upon receiving the answer that the "experimenter" assumed full responsibility, the "teacher" seemed to accept the response and continue shocking, even though some were obviously extremely uncomfortable in doing so.

The “man in a white coat” would only say the following with a calm and uninflected tone:Prod 1&2: “Please continue.” “The experiment requires you to continue.”Prod 3 & 4: “It is absolutely essential that you continue.” “You have no other choice but to continue.”

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Milgram commented, “I observed a mature and initially poised businessman enter the laboratory smiling and confident. Within 20 minutes, he was reduced to a twitching, stuttering wreck, and was rapidly approaching nervous collapse. He constantly pulled on his ear lobe and twisted his hands. At one point, he pushed his fist into his forehead and muttered ‘Oh God! Let’s stop it!’ And yet he

The Crucible

ResultsToday the field of psychology would deem this study highly unethical, but it revealed some extremely important

findings. The theory that only the most severe monsters on the sadistic fringe of society would submit to such cruelty is disclaimed. Findings show that, "two-thirds of this studies participants fall into the category of ‘obedient' subjects, and that they represent ordinary people drawn from the working, managerial, and professional classes (Obedience to Authority)." Ultimately, 65% of all of the "teachers" punished the "learners" to the maximum 450 volts. No subject stopped before reaching 300 volts!

Ordinary people - without any particular hostility on their part - can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.

Milgram's obedience experiment was replicated by other researchers. The experiments spanned a 25-year period from 1961 to 1985 and have been repeated in Australia, South Africa and in several European countries. In one study conducted in Germany, over 85% of the subjects administered a lethal electric shock to the learner.

Reflect:What do you think of the results? Are they surprising? Why or why not?

Why might the Milgram experiment be considered unethical today?

Exit Ticket: In a well-developed paragraph, use The Crucible and The Milgram Experiment to establish a controlling idea about social conformity brought about by peer pressure. What conclusions about obedience to authority do Milgram’s experiment and the outcome of Salem witch trials support?

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The Crucible

Discussion QuestionsDirections: Answer the following in complete sentences.

1. Describe how Reverend Hale is a dynamic character. How does his attitude and belief system change by the end of the play?

2. Is John Proctor right or wrong to refuse to sign the paper? Explain your answer.

3. In any unfaithful marriage or relationship, who is to blame – the adulterous party (John), the counterpart or tempter (Abigail), or the distant spouse (Elizabeth)? Can someone be justified or pushed to cheat on their partner?

4. Despite the lessons learned from the Salem Witch Trials, we have seen the damage of mass hysteria repeated. What are some instances where this hysteria is repeated? What inspired Miller to write The Crucible initially? Why do societies throughout history continue to react irrationally in times of fear or panic?

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The Crucible

What’s in a name?Objective: SWBAT define denotation and connotation and analyze their impact on meaning.

Do Now: Please circle which you would prefer to hear.1.) YOU ARE SNEAKY. YOU ARE CLEVER.

2.) YOU ARE TONED. YOU ARE SKINNY.

3.) YOUR DATE HAS SOME UNATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. YOUR DATE HAS AN UGLY PERSONALITY.

NOTES:How to remember denotation vs connotation?

Denotation ____________________________________

Connotation ___________________________________

CRUCIBLE

DENOTATION CONNOTATION

ANALYSIS - What is the significance of the title, The Crucible, and how does it relate to the characters, theocracy, and themes?

CONTAINER THAT RESISTS HEAT - a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.

ETYMOLOGY: crux = cross

DEFINING HYSTERIA AND EXAMINING HOW IT RELATES TO THE CRUCIBLE

DIRECTIONS . Consider the word “hysteria” and other words and phrases associated with it. Brainstorm some examples of “hysteria” from our culture or society. Finally, explain how the word “hysteria” relates to The Crucible. Write all of your answers in the spaces provided. ©CommonCoreIsCake 8

HYSTERIA

DEFINITION

SYNTHESIZE How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use specific examples from the

text to justify your response.

The Crucible

Hysteria – behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic.

What is an ARCHETYPE?arch or arche = “_____________________________”

typos = “___________________” or “___________________”•Archetype - __________________________________ image, symbol, _______________, or _________________ that recurs frequently throughout literature

Examples:

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EXAMPLES -RED SCARE-COLUMBINE

MORE EXAMPLES:

ASSOCIATED WORDS - FEAR- PANIC- DISORDER- CHAOS- RECKLESSNESS- UNCONTROLLABLE

The Crucible

Archetypal Characters: Unwilling Hero (Frodo Baggins / Harry Potter), Innocent Child (Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz), Sidekick (Robin), The Trickster (Bugs Bunny). Wise Old Person – (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Damsel in Distress – (Rapunzel, Snow White)

Archetypal Situations: The Quest, The Fall, The Journey, The Battle of Good and Evil, The Initiation

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