AIDS in America
How People in America Reacted to AIDS
What Happened?
When did it occur?
Where did it occur?
Who was involved?
How did it occur?
Why did it occur?
Patient Zero
Relationship with The Crucible
In the Crucible, there are many examples of people trying to blame others of witchcraft in order for their lives to be spared. In Scene 1 of The Crucible, Abigail is in trouble for being out in the forest with the girls. Instead of owning up to her mistake, she blames others. " I want to open myself! I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand—I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Good Osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil" (Miller, 15). This shows that because Abigail was in a tough situation, she started to blame other people for being with the devil in order for her to not be punished. This relates to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980's because people were so willing to blame a certain group for bringing AIDS to America, they didn't care about the consequences of their actions.
When Mary Warren returns from the court, she tells the Proctor's of how Sarah Good confessed to being a witch so she would not be hanged. " He sentenced her. He must-But not Sarah Good. For Sarah Good confessed, y‘see...That she sometimes made a compact with Lucifer, and wrote her name in his black book—with her blood—and bound herself to torment Christians till God‘s thrown down… and we all must worship Hell forevermore" (Miller, 19). Sarah Good confessed to being a witch so she would be hanged, even though she lied to do so. In the 1980's AIDS epidemic, people that contracted the disease were accused of homosexuality, and they would be ostracized. If they lied and said they were not homosexual or a heroin addict or other, they would not be punished.
When Elizabeth Proctor was being tried in court, her husband tried to save her. John was then accused of witchcraft but to prove his innocence, he showed how Abigail made up the whole witchcraft problem. "In the proper place—where my beasts are
bedded. Eight months now, sir, it is eight months. She used to serve me in my house,
sir. A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything. I know it now. I beg you, sir,
I beg you—see her for what she is. My wife, my dear good wife took this girl soon after,
sir, and put her out on the high road. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sir….
Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. She thinks to dance with me on my wife‘s grave! And well she might!—for I thought of her softly, God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat! But it is a whore‘s vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands, I know you must see it now. My wife is innocent, except she know a whore when she sees one" (Miller, 44). Proctor accuses Abigail of making up the trials by proving that she only wanted to accuse Elizabeth because of her affair with John. John blamed Abigail in order to save himself and his wife. In the AIDS epidemic, people constantly tried to blame others for the disease, and even blamed the disease on other health problems. No one wanted to know the truth, they just wanted to hear what they wanted to hear.
The Salem Witch Trials occured out of fear that witches were going to take over Salem. This is a parallel to the AIDS Epidemic because most Americans were afraid that AIDS would take over everyone and spread to every person and homosexuality would spread. People were afraid of the truth, so they did what they could to believe what they wanted to believe, not necessarily what was true, much like in The Crucible's portrayal of the Salem Witch Trials.
Works Cited
"A Timeline of AIDS." A Timeline of AIDS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
Gallant, Joel E. 100 Questions & Answers about HIV and AIDS. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2009. Print.
"History of HIV & AIDS in the U.S.A." HIV and AIDS Information and Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Viking, 1953. Print.
"Science Museum. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of Medicine." The Fault of Others: Exiles, Scapegoats and the Human Face of Disease. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
"Science Museum. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of Medicine."'Patient Zero' N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.