The Crucible vs McCarthyism
By: Breanna Moses
The Crucible
- ''The crucible'' by Arthur Miller is based on the event of the Salem witch trial in 1692- 1693
- The Salem witch trials was started by young delusional girls claiming to have proof of some of people in the community being witches
- The towns people were quick to believe that a such thing as witch craft did exist because it would seem to be an easy explanation for the strange activity that has been going on.
- Abigail the niece of parris was trying to protect her self by threatening betty who was the child of parris to tell lies of what was happening in the woods
- Tituba the servent was accused of consorting with the devil and to save her self she made the first accusation
- The girls then continued to name the names of people
- All those who were accused were put on trial and majority were assumed guilty and hanged
- people would not stand up in fear of being called a witch
McCarthyism
- Took place in the 1950's
- people were accused of being communist and put on trial
- the accuser was Joseph McCarthy
- as punishment they received a bad reputation in society
- people were not killed directly if found guilty
- people had fear of being named communist if they retaliated
- Joseph McCarthy was a senator
- He used the false accusations of communism for personal and political gain
- He took advantage of the nations fear of communism
Relation between the crucible and McCarthyism
- "Both of these events symbolize intolerance, extremism, and hatred"
- Abigail from the crucible and senator Joseph McCarthy were both accusers
- The people involved in these events were fueled by fear and anger
- All accused were sent to trial
- Abigail and senator Joseph McCarthy used their accusation for personal gain
- McCarthyism was called the modern day witch hunt due to similarity to Salem witch trials
- In both events you were always assumed guilty