These have been copied and pasted from the board. Hope they’re of use.
- An important truth is revealed.
- What is it?
- How is it significant to character.
Introduction
– Name of the text “The Crucible”
– Date of publication “1952”
– Playwright “Arthur Miller”
– Gist “The impact of a group of teenagers accusing others of witchcraft in a small New England town in the seventeenth century”.
– Intention of your essay “to show how the revelation of a truth is significant to the character of John Proctor.”
Para 1
– The revelation of a truth – John P revealing his affair with Abigail.
– He confesses to try and prove Abigail is lying about the witches.
– Causes the loss of his reputation because his wife denies it.
– “My wife cannot lie” – Short statement – emphatic – does not allow doubt – he is convinced of his wife’s honesty and integrity.
– “She seeks to dance with me on my wife’s grave” – Tone – bitter – hyperbole – metaphor? – reveals Abigail’s resentment/ jealousy – wants Elizabeth dead
– “Elizabeth, I have confessed it!” – short statement – exclamation (shouted) – despair – means neither Proctor nor his wife will be believed.
Two or three paragraphs about the effect of the revelation on John Proctor
– He is imprisoned as a witch
– The court chooses to believe Abigail “A fire is burning, Danforth”
– Control over the town is handed to the teenage girls “You bring down heaven and raise up a whore”
– Proctor’s name is ruined – “Heaven and Hell grapple on our backs… and God’s icy wind will blow.”
– He is to be hanged but his wife persuades him to confess – “life is God’s most precious gift”
– He is willing to say he spoke to the devil – not willing to sign his name – “I will not sign my name to lies”
– His reputation is in tatters – but he wants to do the right thing
– He wants to be worthy of his wife and children – “How may I teach them to be men in the world and I sold my friends?”
– After being discredited in court, he wants his reputation back – “Because it is my name!”
– He refuses to condemn the others accused of witchcraft – “I am not worth the dust on the feet of those that hang”
– He continues to attack the court as a fraud – “It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice”
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