Human Nature
Everyone wants to fit into the crowd, even those who vehemently deny it with claims of individualism and their uniqueness (which can be true); they still want to fit in. They can’t be blamed for this; however, the fault can only be placed on our ancestors who evolved in such ways. The yearning for a distinct identity and a group of similarly minded or blood-related individuals has been present throughout history. Whether it be war, persecution, exclusion, or other forms of oppression. People prefer to be with their groups and fear being abandoned by them, which can lead to events such as the Salem witch trials, which, in plain words, was that people were afraid to be abandoned(or killed).
The Novel’s Message
The book ‘The Crucible’ is a work of literature that can only be stated to be a work of art; it weaves a web of connections from the events of the past, which, when compared, are almost identical to the present at the time. The story, as stated by author Arthur Miller, is based on the
McCarthy trials, which, aside from sharing a name with the Salem witch trials, had a similar premise. Instead of illusor
y witches, it was illusory communists that were being sought.
However, to fully understand the scope of this, a basic understanding of the story is required. The novel begins with Paris, a local elected official in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. The reader can see the conflict immediately as his daughter Betty is mentioned to be unconscious, which in this time period
means demonic intervention had happened to her. Parris believes this is relevant because his niece, Abigail, was seen dancing in the woods with other girls, facilitated by their slave, Tituba. Doctors and priests consult to see the condition of Betty, when the girl opens her eyes and begins to blame others for witchcraft, which causes the other girls to follow along, starting the witch trials.
The trials are the crux of the herd mentality, and at the very least, involve the fear of persecution. The town, when hearing the news of the possibilities of witches in the town, gets into a state of fear. Those who are accused of such acts deny it which will they knowing it will bring them to death, while others point their fingers and weep as they claim the others are the harbingers of Satan to preserve their own lives. The story ends with an unfortunate outcome, where one of the nobler characters, John Procter, is sentenced to death for being accused of witchcraft.
What the Author Meant
While these events show the horrifying practices of the past, some will claim that these were during more radical times, that the events like this could not happen in modern days, yet this his what Miller wishes to prove wrong, the same mass hysteria occurred during the McCarthy trials, how people pointed fingers and cried they weren’t communists to preserve their own skin. This is why The Crucible is a work of art; it illustrates how, when pushed to the extreme, people will do anything to conform to the crowd, even if it means sacrificing others.
