Comparing On The Waterfront And The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Comparing On The Waterfront And The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Elia Kazan's film On the WaterFront and Arthur Miller's play The Crucible are two works that have always been paired together because of their
similar themes. The crucible; written in 1953 replays an awful chapter of American history regarding witch trials and a vengeful town whose greed
for revenge led to deaths of many innocent people. The film on the other hand was created in 1954 and told us the story of a man who freed a town
from the hands of a mob. These two authors were once close friends but separated because of certain incidents. When Elia gave names of people who
were associated in the Communist party; he included Arthur Miller in his list of names and their rivalry started. In return Arthur made this play
showing Elia and others testifying false names. After that, Elia made the film to showing how people needed the truth. These two work of arts have
one thing in common, moral dilemma. The Crucible and On the Waterfront both display the theme of Moral Dilemma and the consequences following
it.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the beginning of the movie, when Terry called Joey to his death; Terry didn't feel right about it. We can tell his conscience was troubled while
doing the job because of his later statement" Joey wasn't a bad kid" (Terry, On the Waterfront ) As Nolan said in the secret meeting in the church
"Deef 'n dumb. Somethin' c'n happen right in front of our noses and we don't see nothin'. You know what I mean. No matter how much we hate the
torpedoes we don't rat." (Nolan, On the WaterFront ), 'ratting' the mob out was one the most important unspoken rule around. Breaking it could bring
his life danger and some serious consequences. Yet with the right guidance he spoke the truth and freed the town from Friendly's hands and gave the
people improved jobs and
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Common Themes In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials written by Arthur Miller. The actually word "crucible" has many meanings, it can be a synonym
for the word cauldron. Not only does a witch uses cauldrons, Miller uses it as a metaphor to show how many characters in the play were stirred and
mixed around during the Salem trials. The word "crucible" according to Webster's Dictionary can mean "a place or situation in which different elements
interact to produce something new." The Crucible also contains many themes with modern connections, a lesson in how history can repeat itself over
and over again, this shows how Arthur Miller was ahead of his time. An additional theme in The Crucible that can be tied in with modern times, would
be reputation.

The Crucible By Arthur Miller: Play Analysis
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a very engaging and interesting play. It tells the story of the witch trials which occurred in Salem Massachusetts in
1692. The play shares the story of a community trying to fight off the witchcraft that is affecting their children. The play is full of lies, deceit, blame,
and morality. The play starts off with reverend parris kneeling over his daughter's bed. She is believed to be bewitched. Reverend Parris goes on to
interrogate Abigail Williams, his niece, because he saw her and several other girls, including his daughter, dancing and singing in the middle of the
night in the forest with his slave. After this discovery, Reverend Parris is almost sure that the girls had engaged in witchcraft, but Abigail

Authority In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, there are certain themes which are quite evident as the play progresses. The story focuses in the small town of
Salem, Massachusetts in 1952, when the witch trials began spreading and affected all individuals in the society. One of the burning issues that this
play introduces is the nature of authority. Authority is the power or right to make decisions, give orders, and enforce will. When the begins, the
audience can right away see and observe the power that the Church had on this society. Since this was a puritan society, there were extremely strict
rules for every individual in that society and all their activities focused on God and religion. This is shown when it is written, "they did not celebrate
Christmas, and a holiday from work meant only that they must concentrate even more upon prayer" (Pg 4).... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Further, there is example of authority in this novel when Abigail has full power over the girls as she manipulates them and the society to believe
her act. She has the power to control and scare the girls into listening to what she says and this is shown when she says "let either of you breathe a
word...I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you" (Pg 20). Further, she
manipulates the town into thinking that she works for the Devil and is a witch. This gives her full power to blame innocent individuals and rule over
a society where her opinion hardly mattered before. This can be seen at the end of act 1 when "Abigail rises. staring as through inspired" (Pg 48).
These stage directions show that Abigail realizes the influence she has on the society and can use this power to her advantage. She also manipulates the
court into believing her acting and has the power to blame individuals of witch

Objective Summary Of The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Objective Summary The play "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller this story is based off a true event that happened in Salem, Massachusetts about the
Salem witch trials. The story starts off in a nice little town where everyone knows everybody and everyone was friendly with each other. One night
there were girls spotted in the woods doing things they shouldn't. The girl later were brought in for questioning about everything and they denied all
of it. One of the girls that was soon later identified being in the woods has gotten terribly "sick" but the people think something else is going on. Soon
or later two of the girls thought it would be a good idea for them to start accusing others to try to get their names cleared. The court proceeds to
questioning

The Themes Of Mccarthyism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
People often lie if they must choose between telling the truth which would ruin their lives or lie and accuse others to save oneself. In The Crucible,
Arthur Miller emphasizes mass hysteria caused by people accusing innocent people to save oneself from death. Even though the Salem witch trials and
the McCarthyism era took place in different time periods, they both show the reoccurring theme of chaos caused by lying and accusing others to save
oneself. The Crucible, which illustrates the time during the Salem witch trials parallels McCarthyism because of the similar theme during both time
periods, Miller's personal experience and one person or group having the power to destroy lives.
In a small town of Salem, Massachusetts, a group of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Reverend Hale soon realized that the girls were lying but it was too late because a lot of people had died because of wrongful accusations to save
oneself from death.
During the time period of McCarthyism, people started accusing others of supporting, or working with communists. During this time, Senator Joseph
McCarthy held a series of investigations to find communist spies. McCarthy gained much power when he claimed that there were over 200
communists who had penetrated the US state department (Achter,1). McCarthy took advantage of the fear created by the situation and gained respect
amongst the US government. But soon through the criticism Joseph McCarthy by a journalist, he was discredited and lost his power which put an end
to McCarthyism.
Both The Crucible and McCarthyism convey the reoccurring theme of mass hysteria caused by false accusations. Before The Crucible play was
available to the public, there were investigations to expose radicals, former radicals, to name other people part of the communist infiltrations (Popkin,
13). This illustrates the similarity between the social injustices during McCarthyism and The Crucible. In both, the

Corrupted Power In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, during the Salem Witch Trials. At these witch trials, the
people of Salem, such as the slave Tituba, use other innocent people as scapegoats to avoid being hung for the practice of witchcraft. Due to this belief
of witchcraft, authoritative figures in the play, such as Judge Danforth, abuse their overwhelming amount of power. Miller conveys the theme of
corrupted power throughout the play when he uses irony and figurative language. The theme of corrupted power is recurring throughout the entire play.
Miller uses irony to showcase this theme. The audience can see Miller's use of irony when the main character John Proctor's last name translates to,
"one who is in charge." On the... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although Proctor is able to chose his own destiny at the end of the play, he is unable to determine the fate of the innocent people of Salem. His
inability to actually be in charge, shows Miller's use of irony. Another instance where Miller uses irony to convey the theme of corrupted power, is
when the Salem theocracy is supposed to unify the community, yet ironically, the witch trials made the people of Salem turn against one another.
Due to the fear of being hung, the people of Salem use one another as scapegoats, so they themselves do not have to face any consequences. This can
be seen when Tituba blames Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne for her far from normal behavior. The government of Salem is intended to unify it's
people, yet they do the opposite and push the people further away from

The Author's Purpose Of The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible Author's Purpose: Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible to inform people about the cruel times in Salem, Massachusetts. To show how
people turned on each other, accused people of being witches just to gain their land or just because they didn't like them. Miller could also connect
to this story because people were accusing him of Mccarthyism, and he was not a communist, which was like the people of Salem accusing people
of witchcraft and they were not witches. Character Motivation: Abigail williams is one of the main characters in the play and she is in love with
John Proctor. John Proctor ends up having an affair with Abigail. When Elizabeth Proctor finds about the affair she kicks Abigail out of the house.
When Abigail says, "You are no wintry man. I know you John. I know you. I cannot sleep for dreamin'; I cannot dream but I wake and walk about
the house as though I'd find you coming' through some door." (Miller, 1270 Act I) this shows how much in love she has for John. Abigail was so in
love with John that she dance naked in the woods, drunk blood, and even got Elizabeth Proctor locked up for witchcraft. She also stole money from
Reverend Parris, and told John the she could break him out of jail and they could be out on a bout before the morning sailing on a boat. John Proctor
who was married to Elizabeth... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another time Abigail show hysteria is in the court when Mary had went against the girls claiming that they were lying.When abigail says,"Oh,
Heavenly Father, take away this shadow!" (Miller 1333 Act III) Abigail is referring to Mary is controlling her with her witch powers and all the girls
just start screaming out of

Decaying Morals In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Decaying Morals Terror swiftly invades the town of Salem in Arthur Miller's book The Crucible as accusations and fear play with the minds of the
bewildered and ignorant citizens. Because Abigail and the girls fear that they will be hung, they say what they did, which was dancing in the forest,
was against their will, saying they were bewitched by others. Abigail and the girls then go on accusing almost everyone in the town. Arthur Miller
reveals that fear and hysteria can destroy relationships and tear apart a society through Abigail Williams's clever but deceitful ways of trying to avoid
punishment. For example, in order to avoid punishment, Abigail and the girls accuse people in the town of bewitching them, and, in doing so, begins the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
You can see how Abigail uses this by accusing of Elizabeth of witchcraft. Because the town is so caught up into these witch–trials, they believe Abigail
whenever she acts cursed or bewitched. Abigail wants to be with John Proctor, but she needs to get Elizabeth, John's wife, out of the way so
Abigail accuses Elizabeth of bewitching her, so Abigail tries to frame Elizabeth with the doll. Abigail sees that Mary Warren made a doll during
court and stuck a needle inside it for safe keeping, so Abigail stabs herself in that same spot where the needle is and "screamed a scream that a bull
would weep to hear, and she... testify it were [John's ] wife's familiar spirit [which] pushed it in" (74). The town is caught up in the hysteria of the
girls being cursed that they sincerely believe in what Abigail has to say. Whoever Abigail accuses to be a slave to the Devil is immediately sent to
jail. This dramatically affects Salem because "there be so many cows wanderin' the highroads, now their masters are in the jails, and much
disagreement who they will belong to now" (125). The town's gone from organized, to crazy. No one is dealing with the problem of the wandering
cows because all of the authority and court's focus is on the witch–trials, not on which cow belongs to which person. These

Subliminal Messages In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller writes many subliminal messages throughout the play. The most prominent is: a community can be so overcome by hysteria that it
neglects logical facts. When first reading the story with no other historical comparisons, the message would be different. However, when other
historical events are added into the understanding, the story is a much deeper thought. The Red Scare was an event taking place in 1940/50's, almost
300 years before there was a similar event called the Salem Witch trials. The Crucible was an allegory for Miller's time. It scared the people because it
was too real for them and that is why he was arrested on suspicion of being a communist. In actuality, he is explaining that the human condition has
preprogrammed

Freedom Of Religion In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller's, "The Crucible", takes place during 1692 when freedom of religion was emerging and various views about religion was expressed
that were not directly in line with Christianity. In this play, Christianity religion divided in sects of Puritans, Atheist, and Witch Craft. "The people
of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any
kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies" (Miller, pg. 6). In this Salem village, the people were practiced
Puritans. Villagers believed that the practice or belief in witchcraft was a crime punishable by hanging. They believed that witchcraft was a
"compact" (agreement) with the Devil or Lucifer to do harm to the people. Anyone believed to be in compact with the devil would be subject to death
by hanging. The plot and conflict of this play is focused on a witch–hunt of townspeople who are believed to have practiced witch craft and a trial
ensues to determine their fate. During the progression of this play, we discover that three characters feed the hysteria that surrounds the Salem Witch...
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Abigail Williams, orphaned niece of Reverend Parris, uses the witch hunt to persecute the wife of her former lover while Tituba, a Barbadian slave for
Reverend Parris, manipulates the witch hunt trail in an attempt to save herself from hanging and Mary Warren, the servant of John Proctor, is used as a
pawn by Abigail to eliminate the wife of John, her adulterous

Crowd Mentality In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a play full of suspense and constant suspicion. The conflicts in the play occur because of the characters forming
into groups. Group mentality describes how a person's decisions are directly affected by their peers' behaviors. Problems arise when people with bad
intentions begin to work with others for a common goal. In The Crucible, the conflicts of the play illustrate the power and effects of crowd mentality,
and how one person's thoughts in the group can alter the other characters' opinions. Abigail and all the other girls act differently when they are together
because of group mentality. Therefore, if one of the members has an opinion and spreads the idea, soon the whole group will thinking like the... Show
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By being all in the same town, any common opinion is usually accepted or the person is ostracized. The Puritans in The Crucible see anything weird
as witchcraft. Danforth explains why witchcraft is so controversial when he pronounces, "But witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an
invisible crime is it not? Therefore, who may possibly witness to it? The witch and the victim. None other." (93). This quote demonstrates the doubtful
evidence for the witchcraft cases. Nobody can prove anything unless someone confesses. It is a chain reaction when one person accuses another
because they then have to convict someone or they

Names In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Names. They are our whole identity. They determine who we are for our whole life. And in The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, he mentions a lot
about names. I think he is trying to teach his audience that names mean and represent large amounts of power and dignity and also reputation. This is
shown perfectly when Parris is talking to Abigail and says "There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit"(1026). Characters are often
seen throughout the play defending their own names, crying out names, listing names, and signing names. All in an attempt to protect their power and
dignity. Arthur Miller also made the names a big part of this play to help the readers develop a stronger emotional attachment towards the characters.
This... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Not negative and upsetting things. And this is demonstrated perfectly in Act 1, pages 1024–1027 when Reverend Parris is watching Abigail, Tituba
and the other girls dancing naked around a fire in the woods. After Parris discovered them he then left out the details of what he actually saw when
asked about it later in the play. This shows that he was trying to protect his dignity and reputation as a Reverend. A follower of God. Parris then
turned to Abigail with wide eyes and said "There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit"(1026). After hearing about Abigail's
actions, Goody Proctor was very upset with her as well. And kicked her out of the house and fired her in an attempt to protect her name and
reputation in the community. She did not want to be known by others as someone who hires people accused of conjuring spirits. Along with Goody
Proctor and Parris, Abigail too was attempting to protect her own name. She was caught lying about what she was doing and proceed to say to
Proctor "...I never knew the lying lessons I was taught" (1032). This proves she was lying in an attempt to protect her name and reputation as a pure
young lady. Similar to how Goody Proctor was trying to protect her name

Danforth And Corruption In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
In Massachusetts during the late 1600's, a series of prosecutions accusing people of witchcraft was a prominent event known as the Witch Trials
(Salem witch trials, Wikepedia.com). As a result, many literature pieces, books, and poems were written based on the Witch Trials in Salem
particularly, like Arthur Miller's novel, The Crucible. The Crucible is well known for its incorporation of the Puritan community, making it an
extensive novel, as noted by Susan Abbotson, an author who critiqued Miller's work. Ms. Abbotson notes that much of the story is spent outside the
courtroom and in the society as a whole. Consequently, her remark founded the discussion about the idea of power– hungry characters and corruption
in The Crucible. In The Crucible... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While some readers may argue that all powerful characters are open to corruption in the pursuit of personal gain, this is not the case. For instance,
taking Reverend John Hale into consideration, he is not a corrupt character as he does not suppress the powerless by any means including wealth,
literature, or religion. He is one of the few protagonists in The Crucible, as shown when he stands up for what he believes, even if it means being an
outcast to the Puritan society. "I denounce these proceedings!" (Miller 120). By supporting the fair and benevolent cause, Hale is shown to be a
powerful character that does not fall to corruption in Miller's novel. Thus, those readers who claim all powerful characters are corrupt are mistaken, as
Hale is powerful with his minister position in the community, yet he is not

Fear And Superstition In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible We all have fear. Some of us have the fear that can not fall into sleep. Some of us have the fear that does not care. What is the fear? Fear
is something that does not want to experience again. Someone can use the fear to creat the superstition because the fear will become more and more
afraid that someone will take it as the true thing, but the most afraid thing is the heart. Arthur Miller who wrote гЂЉThe CrucibleгЂ‹told us that
human hearts are the most terrible fear because the human hearts are incomprehensible and are not what they were in old days so that there appears
superstition and the superstition confuses the human hearts. There is not originally any fear and the superstition in the world, but there fear and
superstition... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Abigail threatened other girls that did not tell others the truths because Abigail felt afraid that what they did I would lose her all reputation, so
Abigail created the superstition. Abigail was afraid about her reputation in the village. She did not want others to say Abigail was a liar. She did not
want to assume the responsibility that she created the witches that disordered the life in the village so that she told others the superstition. She
wanted to make others believe in the superstition because she could not have any blame on it. Sarah Goody was a poor woman that she admitted
that she conjured spirits because she was afraid to die, so she had to creat the superstition because she was pregnant. Sarah Goody was a person that
she did not care about others, she just cared about herself. Sarah Goody admitted the superstition because she did not want to hurt herself so that she
did not want to protect the responsibility of others. The superstition is horrible because it can dispute a person's thoughts so that it is believed by more
and more persons. The fear and superstition can make the whole world become

The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Unbalance Through The Centuries
In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, the author reflects the persecution of communists in America in the 1950's through a recount of the Salem witch
trials. It is often presumed that Miller based his drama directly off of events that were particularly prevalent in the years surrounding the publication of
The Crucible– which was released in the year 1953, towards the conclusion of the Korean War. Although there was not a literal witch hunt occurring
during this time period, America was in a state of paranoia due to an enemy that was seemingly even more terrifying than witches: this time, America
was looking for communists to burn at the stake. With heavy influences, such as Senator Joseph McCarthy weighing on him, Miller wrote about the
historic Salem witch trials to create a juxtaposition to the anti–communist delirium that was consuming America in the era in which he lived. By
highlighting the off–balance nature of order and personal freedoms within a society, Arthur Miller was able to communicate a timeless message, that is
applicable throughout American history, and is still relevant in the twenty–first century. He emphasizes the necessary sacrifice every individual is
forced to make as a means of maintaining our community, as well as the implications, both positive and negative, that come along with doing so.
Whether it be in the form of Japanese–American citizens being stripped of their rights after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the

Foil Characters In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
From the recent U.S. presidential election, to the 9/11 attacks and the Salem Witch Trials; Society has, and always will, have a strong influence on the
way an individual behaves. Arthur Millers' The Crucible is set in the town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 and demonstrates the extent to which
external factors can influence a situation. Miller utilizes argumentative dialogue between the Proctors and Danforth, and foil characters of Parris and
Proctor, and Elizabeth and Abigail, to portray how societal beliefs impact an individual's behavior. Argumentative Dialogue between Elizabeth, John
Proctor, and Danforth, is used to illustrate how the people of Salem drove John to reveal the truth about his relationship with Abigail and to confess to...
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John Proctor and Reverend Parris are both prominent men in Salem; however, Proctor does not care how he is seen by the town whereas Parris is
willing to do almost anything to protect his reputation. Parris divulges his true feelings when talking to Abigail about his reputation, as he calls the
Salem's citizens "stiff–necked people" who, "just when some good respect is rising" for him within the parish, have called into questioned his "very
character" due to Abigail's accusations (11). In contrast to Parris' concern about how he will be perceived, Proctor willingly admits he had an affair
with Abigail, begging the men in the court to "see [Abigail for] what she is" (110). Parris attempts to coerce Abigail into compliance in order to save
his name while Proctor accuses Abigail of lechery in order to save his wife. While Parris' self–consciousness turned him into a selfish man, Proctors'
self–confidence taught him selflessness. Much like her uncle Parris, Abigail is willing to protect her reputation at all costs. When she believes
Goody Proctor is ruining her name, Abigail declares "My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled!" (12). Abigail is
terrified at the thought the Salem community could believe her character was tainted. Out of concern for her reputation, she angrily blames others for
seeking to spread rumors and lies about her. In contradiction, Elizabeth tells John that whatever he does "it is a good man does it" (137). Despite
John's confession to lechery and societal pressures put on her to shun him, she still believes John is a good person. Abigail's fear of the public's
reaction has turned her into a vengeful and jealous young woman while Elizabeth's apathetic attitude toward public opinion has allowed her to become
loving and forgiving. This

Power In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Power can be as easily obtained as it can be abused by any given person. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible displays the use of power dynamics in
many of its characters. The exert of power presented by the proposed children of God, Abigail Williams and Mary Warren, rose to the extent of
mass murder through the witch trials. A poor orphaned child, niece to the towns reverend, Abigail Williams is truly the devils incarnate maintaining
the facade of a pure child. The young girl is determined to do anything to conceal her affair with John Proctor and her attempt to murder his wife and
as a result of that, she brings down the townspeople through witchcraft accusations. She can best be seen as the stereotypical mean girl that will
assert her power on a pack of manipulative girls to help her accomplish her dirty work. This is shown especially when she threatens the other girls by
promising that she "will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you". Her violent threats
expose her true nature, being one that is not worried about getting her way no matter the consequences.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When Mary's attempt to aid John Proctor and testify against Abigail in court goes awry, she crumbles under pressure and points the finger at John
for doing the Devil's work. Mary showcases a different use of her power, hers being completely different from Abigails. She gets caught up in
moments that she is in no way in control off, but still manages to find the easy way out by pinning it on someone else. Arthur Miller displays through
Mary's character that even an innocent likeable character uses the power inside her to save herself by using the easiest way out no matter who gets hurt
in the

Symbolic Elements In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in 1952, is symbolic and portrays many double meanings. These elements force the reader to uncover a
deeper meaning behind what Miller writes. One of the most prominent symbols is in the title of the play; a 'crucible'. A tool used in the field of
chemistry, a crucible is a container that is able to withstand very high temperatures; used for melting glass, metal, and pigment production along with
many other laboratory processes. In an alternate definition, a crucible is a severe trial or the creation of something new when different elements react.
The word crucible comes from the latin word, crux, meaning "cross" or "trial". This begs the question, why did Miller name his play after a chemistry
tool?... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In example, John Proctor, arguably one of the greater and most influential characters of the play, faces countless challenges. The reader first sees a
major flaw in John's character when Abigail Williams talks to him about their affair. While she sees the situation as harmless and fantastic, he battles
inner turmoil with his sin throughout the play until he confesses in court to "knowing her" to reveal her true character. This inner turmoil is his
greatest trial and ultimately leads to his demise. In relation to the meaning of the word crucible (cross), there are moments of crucifixion in the play
as well. The reader sees that John and many other characters are killed for remaining true to what they believe in. The Crucible is a play that includes
biblical based laws and morals, so Miller including aspects that make an allusion to the crucifixion of Christ certainly suits the

Innocent Children In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Children are generally perceived as very innocent because they have yet to become influenced by the world. In contrast, adults are regarded as much
more selfish in that their actions are reflected by their desire to protect their own self–interests. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller deviates from this
standard image of children by portraying them to be equally as concerned about their own wellbeing as adults are. Miller warns the audience against
believing all children are innocent by describing the repercussions of such beliefs. The author uses characterization and comparisons to relate the
mannerisms of children to adults. Characterization was used in the play to demonstrate how fear could make the children act selfishly. A common trait
present... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When John Proctor speaks to Danforth about Elizabeth's innocence, Danforth responds "I understand well, a husband's tenderness may drive him to
extravagance in defense of a wife." Danforth acknowledges that Proctor is willing to do anything to protect a loved one, but the judge fails to use the
same caution when considering the reliability of the accounts given by the children. To Danforth and the other adults in the play, the children are
trustworthy because they have no reason to lie. Adults, on the other hand, have more to lose since they have obtained more in their lifetime; this is
demonstrated by Reverend Parris who is desperate to keep his reputation. Despite the fact that the town was not fully aware of it, the adults and the
children had similar intentions: protecting themselves. While Parris and Proctor wanted to salvage their reputations, the children wanted to evade
punishment. Saving their reputations would keep the adults from facing humiliation from the town while escaping punishment would keep the
children from facing physical harm. However, the town is more susceptible to the accounts told by the children than by the adults. By comparing the
treatment of children to adults, the author shows how groups who are working for the same thing can receive different responses due to how they are
perceived by the public. In the case of the witch trials, both the adults and

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay
While reading three articles about the play called "The Crucible" I noticed many interesting facts. Many questions as well came to mind. The main
question was "What was the Arthur purpose for writing The Crucible"? Well let's start of by saying Arthur Miller was a extremely American play
writing. Miller born in 1915, but where was his childhood? He grew up in New York with a Jewish family. Arthur Millers' play went on Broadway
at the Martin Beck. This occurred in the year of 1953. The play was called The Crucible. Was The Crucible even one of his best places? Well it was
yet one of his best second plays. What were the events of the play of Miller had done? The event of the play had to do with the events that took place
in Salem. What... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He used Salem Witch trials as a metaphor to get Attention towards the tragedies ofMcCarthyism publicities. Miller uses allegory in his play to show
the similarities of one historical period to another. In the 1950s everyone wanted freedom, mean while during the Salem witch was the trials of
religions was what life was all about. In both time periods people were scared they didn't want to be familiar with some one that could be communist
or a none Christian.
There for Miller wasn't only trying to send a message to McCarthy but also, to many other people. This shows the fact that
" When The Crucible was first produced, McCarthy cronies singled out members in the theater and in holly wood as leftists and communist
sympathizers needed, many critics and audience members, and even McCarthy himself, pointed the finger at miller as a spearheading his own attack
against what was the perceived to be very core American values". According to all this it proves the fact of how miller felt.
"Miller himself said that once he was blacklisted as a communist by the us government, people with whom he would have chatted on the street
suddenly turned a suspicious eye on him". A lot of people around miller were going against him in a very cruel way, McCarthy himself signed an
attack towards miller.
This play had a lot to do with certain century's and time periods. " As the period of its creation early 50's would suggest, however,

Arthur Miller Influence On The Crucible
The playwright Arthur Miller gained critical acclaim in the 1950s. His work exists today on broadway and stages throughout the world. Arthur
Miller was able to take the modern social world and turn it into a drama that his audiences could easily understand. Arthur Miller is a son of Jewish
immigrants and was born in Harlem, New York. His father name was Isadore Miller, he was a jewish immigrant from Poland(source 2). Arthur
MIller's first success was his first play Death of a Salesman(source 2). Arthur attended the University of Michigan, it was at michigan he wrote his first
plays(source 2). He married his college girlfriend, Mary Grace Slattery in 1940; they had two children named John and Robert(source 2).While
attending the University... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In an article published by "The Guardian" one reviewer said The Crucible captivated and horrified me and i never knew a play could be so engulfing or
lasting. I would recommend it to anyone, for it will last way beyond the last page, in fact I have a feeling that I will remember it for the rest of my
life(source 7). The House of Un–American Activities Committee called Miller to appear before them because of his play The Crucible, but he
refused to comply with their demands(source 7). His third most famous play is After The Fall first produced in 1964 this play is about when a
lawyer relieves scenes from his past that test his ability to relate to the women in his life, he is forced to accept responsibility for his actions(source
1). His fifth famous play was The Price produced in 1968 this play revisits much of the territory that was part of millers social consciousness
throughout his career as a dramatists(source 1). His last almost famous play is Homely Girl, A Life published in 1992 he turns his attention to a
smaller, more intimate, canvas, but one that in its deceptive delicacy still encompasses a vast range of human fears, ambitions, and desires. Janice–the
eponymous homely girl–has hated her face ever since she was a child and her mother held up Ivory Snow advertisements to her, saying, "Now that is
beauty." Homely she is, but also fiercely herself. Still,it is not until she falls in love with a blind musician that she feels her full nature unfold in this
exquisite portrait of a woman finding a language to describe

The Metaphors Used In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Webster's dictionary defines a crucible as "a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that
requires a high degree of heat." This means that since ancient times, something such as a pot of clay could be used as a container for melting metals
or other materials under a great deal of heat, burning away any and all impurities to get a rather purified product. Relevant to our day and society, a
courtroom may sometimes be referred to as a crucible. This is because a courtroom is where irrelevancies, lies or half truths are burned away under
harsh questioning or scrutiny until the purest product, which in this case is the total and complete truth, is all that remains. Likewise, in Arthur Miller's
play The Crucible, Miller uses an analogy between a crucible and the events that take place in the town of Salem, Massachusetts to exemplify the
'severe tests or trials' that occur as an entire puritan community, under mass hysteria, is facing a series of daunting trials that are meant to fish out any
accused witches that supposedly have sold their souls to the devil. Miller's metaphor compares the actual crucible to the town of Salem, the continents
of the crucible to the people who face false accusations of witchcraft, and the heat used fo to purify the continents of a crucible to the character's actions
and emotions that fuel the trials and like events that take place in the play.

Mary Warren In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Crucible by Arthur Miller displayed many heroic factors done by village folk when accusations of witchcraft were being spread left and right
throughout the land. The character Mary Warren stuck out to me because, even though she was mostly a wimp, she committed some heroic actions
of her own that not many people in the twenty first century can find in their hearts to do. There were many aspects that Mary had, but I have
decided to narrow it down to timid, dishonest, and weak as her three characteristics for this essay. Beginning Mary Warren's narrative, she first comes
off as a timid person. "Abby, we've got to tell" (Miller 18). After a group of girls, including Mary, have been discovered dancing in the woods, Mary
pleas to the others that they must reveal what they have done, or... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"She tried to kill me many times, Goody Proctor" (Miller 54). Following her entrance and the giving of the poppet, Mary confesses that she and
the other girls were nearly choked to death by Goody Osburn in open court by sending out her spirit. This shows how Mary and the other girls
were all dishonest by pretending to choke in order to get Goody Osburn into trouble with the jury. "I am bound by law, I cannot tell it" (Miller 57).
After admitting to Elizabeth Proctor that her name was mentioned in court and Elizabeth asks who accused her, Mary claims that she cannot reveal
the name of the accuser. Mary is dishonest in this quote by not telling Goody Proctor who indicated her, even though she knows who blamed her for
the crime. "What poppet's that, sir" (Miller 71). When a few of the court officials enter the Proctor household and spy the poppet on the mantle, Mary
is called down to reveal that the poppet is her's, but lies at the sight of it. This quote shows Mary's dishonest side by showing how she claimed she did
not know the poppet, when, secretly, she knew that she was the one who made

The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Lucifer, Satan or his common name, the devil. From an English perspective, he is the first antagonist. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the Devil is the
main cause of conflict. He is the root of Evil. Now the reaction to devilish behavior varies from person to person, possibly even society to society. The
Puritan society combats evil doing with actions that could be considered worse than the Devil 's worst of deeds. This is demonstrated by Reverend
Hale, whose importance starts initially as a figurehead of judgment, and his influence of judgment slowly dwindles. Another proof of imperfection
in the Puritan society is the article McCarthyism. It projects the same sickening goose chase that ruins the lives of harmless people. Abigail is the
ultimate icon of the mockery that is the Salem witch trials. Her "encounters" with demons in the courtroom are borderline comedic. The puritans
justify all decisions with the argument that all drastic measures are necessary to remove the demons within the townspeople, for the greater good.
The concept of religion is obviously critical to the people of Salem, so it comes as no surprise that the initial reaction of evil is to call Reverend Hale
for assistance. However, as time passes in Salem, Hale is disgusted with what has happened in Salem. Hale is totally aware of how blasphemous the
results of the trials are. Miller writes, "Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved,

The Crucible By Arthur Miller Character Analysis
Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, was an intriguing man. He was reared in New York within a Jewish family. Isidore Miller, Arthur's father,
worked in the coat industry. Miller's father was barely literate and, when Arthur was fourteen, lost everything they had in the Wall Street Crash. Arthur's
mother, Augusta Barnett Miller, adored him and was a high school graduate. Growing up Arthur Miller repudiated piano lessons and an education
from a Hebrew school. Instead, an Irish Spinster taught him. As he got older, Arthur was married three times, with three children (two from the first
marriage, and one from the third). According to an article written by Jeffrey Meyers, Miller had a powerful physical presence. Meyers describes
Arthur as one with large capable hands, short muscular legs, and spectacles. Personality wise, Arthur Miller is known to be warm, friendly, paternal,
non–competitive, and one who... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Staying serene in a less than ideal situation is one of the keys to living a blissful life, one much like the author's. During the dissatisfactory situations,
the book focuses on what happens when presuming the worst. Denouncing what humanity has designated to be standard is a main point in The
Crucible. By unraveling what the text says, a reader cannot only learn about life, but ameliorate their way of contemplating diversified settings.
Remaining tranquil during hectic situations is an imperative life lesson. The Crucible displays an accurate example of how people will go into
hysteria if placed in a precarious position. When in court, many of the characters broke into a rage of fear and anger. After they became rambunctious,
they were punished in one way or another. Scenes of these outbreaks give readers a sense of consequences of acting before thinking. In any situation
that may be frenetic, society must remain calm, cool, and

Foils In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Foils in The Crucible In literature, a character's true personality is revealed through the use of foils. A foil is a minor character that contrasts with a
main character and highlights his or her particular characteristics. They are found in movies, television shows, novels, and plays. Foils can reveal
both positive and negative traits. Throughout The Crucible, literary foils reveal the true personalities of many characters. Foils are important in The
Crucible because several events are formed by the characters' feelings towards one another. In Act Two, the play reveals the main foil: Reverend
Hale. He is a foil to John Proctor due to their contrasting personalities. . In the beginning, Hale is positive of the presence of witchcraft in Salem. He
becomes suspicious of Proctor, and their first encounter is when Hale goes to Proctor's house to question him about his faith. Proctor is offended and
he tells Hale that the girls on the jury were caught dancing in the woods and that they are lying to save themselves from the... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
She contrasts with Elizabeth Proctor due to her affair with John. When Elizabeth discovered the affair, she fired Abigail, who feels a strong hatred
towards Elizabeth. Abigail was upset that she was fired and jealous that John had chosen Elizabeth over her, so she used her power as a juror to
accuse Elizabeth by stabbing herself in the stomach with a needle and claiming that a poppet in the Proctors' house was a voodoo doll. Elizabeth was
then arrested for witchcraft. Abigail's actions prove that she is deceitful, selfish, jealous, and vengeful. Elizabeth showed compassion and love towards
John when she found out about the affair. She also showed her love for John when she lied about the affair in court in order to protect John's

Integrity In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
In the Crucible, many characters have different reasons and actions of why they do what they do. Each character have motives that drive them
towards a certain goal, but some have more noble causes than others. The Red Scare was also an event where people reacted similarly to the reactions
in the Crucible. Integrity is a trait that stands out in both stories. Some characters and aspects of the Crucible and the Red Scare share the same theme
of integrity. Miller uses this theme and others to enhance his play. In the play, the theme of integrity adds to the opposing traits. Miller utilizes different
opposing aspects to create conflicts that allow the plot to move smoothly and cohesively. Integrity is usually a very selfless characteristic that... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Honesty and a sense of morality is integrity; and John proctor showed his integrity in the last two acts in all its glory. In act two, Proctor tells Mary
Warren, after Elizabeth was arrested, she will testify against Abigail to save Elizabeth. Mary Warren cautioned Proctor because Abigail would then
accuse Proctor of lechery, and Proctor was willing to come to terms and be honest with his past in order to save his friends and family. Integrity is
also the state of being whole and undivided. In act four, Proctor refused to confess because he wanted to keep his honor till his death. He refused to
sign his testament because he pleaded that he keep his name, and tore the document to pieces. Proctor knew too well what would happen to him when
he tore his testament, but he stayed true to himself and never broke down. Proctor's character developed the moral and honest integrity, but throughout
the whole story he had integrity more solid than cinder blocks. John Proctor was not the only aspect in the story with integrity; Arthur Miller based the
Crucible on the McCarthy case and integrity was prominent in both

Group Mentality In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
How much influence can a group of people with power have on society? In the story, The Crucible, author Arthur Miller depicts a group of girls
lead by Abigail Williams, who are going around the town of Salem accusing people of witchcraft. Many people in the town are living in fear of
being accused because Abigail and the girls prosecute anyone they desire. After being prosecuted, some people choose to join the girl's side and shift
the blame to someone else. A group mentality is created in the society, leading people to become followers, controlled by Abigail. Throughout the story,
Miller demonstrates that group mentality is powerful in society by creating fear and suppression. Even today, group mentality is an issue in America
and it is essential... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because the group of girls is viewed as powerful, individual voices and opinions are not believed. When Mary and John attempt to confront the
court, claiming the girls are lying, Parris exclaims to Judge Danforth, "you surely cannot think to let so vile a lie be spread in open court!"(89).
Without looking at any evidence, Parris and Danforth believe Abigail and the girls before Mary and Proctor. Abigail and the other girls are able to
make the court believe them and suppress the views of Mary and Proctor because they have more power. Later in the text, once it becomes evident
that the group of girls could get in trouble, they begin to act as if they are being attacked by Mary's spirit. Because the group of girls still maintains
more power than Mary, the court believes the girls over her. While Mary and Proctor tell Danforth Abigail is pretending Mercy Lewis, one of the
girls in Abigail's group, says, "Mary, do you send this shadow on me?"(109). The other girls begin to play along and soon Mary and Proctor are
helpless to stop the situation. This is because the actions of the girls are more significant to Danforth than Mary and Proctor's pleas. This can connect
to America's long history of white supremacy in the country. One example in an article by Salon is the conflict between white Americans and
African–Americans. The article states that "throughout American history,

Controlled Hysteria In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
American playwright Arthur Miller once said "Controlled hysteria is what's required. To exist constantly in a state of controlled hysteria. It's agony.
But everyone has agony. The difference is that I try to take my agony home and teach it to sing." Hysteria can thrive only because people benefit
from it. It suspends the rules of daily life and allows the acting out of every dark desire and hateful urge under the cover of righteousness.
Hysteria is an uncontrolled fear complemented with excessive emotion that leads to poor decisions and actions done with complete lack of forethought.
The hysteria that existed in the town of Salem was largely caused by the people's extreme devotion to religion, as well as their refusal to delve into
other possibilities to explain the predicament of the time. These circumstances still exist today, and it is quite possible, as well as frightening, that a
similar event could recur today. One would like to think that they would never lose control of their opinions and thought, but hysteria is a powerful
force and can bring even the most intellectual of people to lose sense of what is occurring. More modern examples of hysteria such as the McCarthy
trials and the ostracizing of people infected with AIDS show that learning to properly evaluate a situation for its reasonability and integrity prove to
still be a valuable lesson for today.
An example of hysteria still being a valuable lesson today is 9/11. When 9/11 happened, the country didn't know

Lying In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, an important universal theme is, "lying is apart of everyone's nature." There are many other themes, but this
one is very important, because in the play no one is safe from being accused of witchcraft. The conflict is when Abigail and her group of girls lie in
the court room and make unjust accusations about people, because of money, land, and or relationship issues. This connects to the universal theme,
because these lies will make the people being accused, either be put in jail or hung. A case of Abigail and the girls lying, is when Mary Warren tells
the court that Abigail and the girls are lying about seeing things or feeling things. Abigail says, "I done my duty pointing out the Devil's people" (Miller
The reason being is Mary tried to tell the court the truth about the girls lying. In addition, Abigail goes to Reverend Paris's house, and suddenly
falls to the ground. Paris then realizes she has been stabbed with a needle. Abigail claims, "[Proctor's] wife's familiar spirit pushed it in" (Miller
176). This quote means, that Abigail believes it felt like Goody Proctor's bad spirit came upon her, because Elizabeth is angry at Abigail for
getting together with John. Abigail states that it was Goody Proctor, because she says, "Goody Proctor always kept poppets" (Miller 190). She
says this, because if Elizabeth gets accused of witchcraft, she will be hung and then Abigail will be able to get Proctor. This consociates with the
universal theme, in a way where Abigail will lie, just to get Proctor. The universal theme of "lying is apart of everyone's nature," is evident quite
often in, The Crucible. The reason being, is most people want more land, some are prideful, meaning they will lie to make sure people don't think less
of them. Every character in this play has lied, whether it be regarding accusations of witchcraft or for the reason to get revenge. If there was no lying in
this play, then many people would haven't of hung, been put into jail, nor interrogated

The Three Themes In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
A play by Arthur Miller where he thought of the play a year after he wrote the award winning play the Death of a Salesman that won the politer
prize he continued to show his greatness and write a legendary play called the crucible. A small town in Salem, Massachusetts the year of 1692 a
bunch of girls accused other people for the crimes they did for they wouldn't be hanged for witchcraft. I believe that all of this is eighty percent of
Abigail's fault that all these chain events happened was because of her. The other percent was because; everybody else followed each other, reputation,
and empowerment. In this essay I am going to explain the three themes that I found the most interesting that happened in the play crucible. It starts off in
At the end of the play however Proctor's desire to keep his good name leads him to make the heroic choice not to make a false confession and to go
to his death without signing his name to an untrue statement. "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" he cries to Danforth in Act IV. By
refusing to give a bad reputation to his name he rather dies with it being good. John Proctor went out like a G I would have done the same thing you
cannot let your name have a bad reputation especially in a small town like Salem. It sucks Proctor left his kids without no father, but he taught them
never let anyone give you a bad name you are only born with one. His kids will grow up having that in their state of mind and grow stronger with

The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The performance of Arthur Millers drama, The Crucible, put on by the WolfPack Players is one that has taken a fair bit of polishing to go from an
average high school show, to a great show; the director, Patrica Scarborough, can certainly attest to such a bold claim. While we were held back by
petty issues such as lines, we were, as a company, able to pull it together, just in time for opening. I can honestly say, in my heart, that this show
could have gone better. In no way am I marking this a shameful show, nay, in my opinion, the show is quite good. I, for one, love the cast that had
been assigned to perform this drama. But the basic act of line memorization had bogged us down, and I primarily attribute that to the language of
Arthur Miller's piece; The Crucible is indeed a heavy show, the Director had announced to us that many times before. Even for myself, The Crucible is
a dense, heavy story. From my transition from the auditions to the performance, I can say that personal growth had happened, not continuously, but in
small spurts. At the audition, I had felt like this wasn't really my show. That feeling I had made me nervous and uncomfortable about auditioning, but
I had decided to keep at it; I put on a straight face and acted happy to be there, auditioning, even though I was unsure about the show. I had learned,
later on, that even if insecurity strikes during an audition, that its always better to act like its not there at all. Keeping a straight face, as opposed to

Arthur Miller Influence On The Crucible
In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller the context sets up the whole plot of the story. Much like the book The Scarlet Letter the setting is in the
north during early colonization time this was also the time of Puritanism, Puritans believed in being pure and Godly. Preachers were held on a
pedestal and citizens were looked at through a magnifying glass. Throughout The Crucible you begin to learn of the strong sense of Christianity there;
you were condemned if you did not go to church every Sunday, much like John Proctor. The Crucible is based around a true story, witch hunting during
this time period was an actual occurrence. Nineteen people were actually accused and hung or stoned in Salem, Massachusetts for witchcraft.
The religious aspect ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Miller displays people saying false things to protect themselves, even if it means killing another person who is innocent. Jealousy, greed and grudges
was shown during the content of The Crucible. Miller creates this image of Americans that is atrocious, all while using a true story. Miller wrote this
book in the in 1950's, during the time of the "communist witch hunt" Miller was even a victim of this, he was questioned during the process. His books
tended to lean to the more political side, he used a historical reference to bring awareness to his modern times issues, such as the "communist witch
hunt" and the characters of past and modern Americans. McCarthyism was an occurrence that took place in the time period of Miller. Wisconsin
Senator Joseph McCarthy began multiple hearings and investigation into communism in the United States government. His idea of wiping out all
communist in America spreaded like a wildfire, so much so that he won reelection. The similarity between The Crucible and the "communist witch
hunt" is uncanny. There is much symbolism in the book that relates back to McCarthyism, such as the girls in the book making false claims without
having any proof. Sounds very familiar to the situation that occurred in the

An Allegorical Play 'The Crucible' By Arthur Miller
Audrey McBride Mrs. Riccio–Bronn English 3H 17, October 2014 The Crucible Final Assessment Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" is an
allegorical play. "The Crucible is an allegorical play because Arthur Miller took a true event and put it into a play. In this case, the obvious
meaning of the play is the Salem Witch Trials but, there is also another meaning to the play which is, McCarthyism. McCarthyism and "The
Crucible" have a lot of similarities because Arthur Miller based the events of his play off of McCarthyism. Arthur Miller created this play to tell us
more about McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials. In Arthur Miller's article "Are You Know or Were You Ever" he says that, "There were
communists there were never witches" (pg 34). Arthur Miller is saying that the H.U.A.C. was right about there being communists but the people of
the Salem Witch Trials were wrong for accusing people of being witches. Many people were killed for during the Salem Witch Trials for being
witches, but a lot of people were also being killed during the McCarthyism Era because they were accused of being communists.... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In Arthur Miller's article "Are You Know or Were You Ever" it states that, "In the stillness of the Salem Courthouse, surrounded by the images of the
1950s but with my head in 1692, what the two eras had in common gradually gained definition. Both had the menace of concealed plots, but most
startling were the similarities in the rituals of defense, the investigative routines; 300 years apart, both persecutions alleged membership of a secret,
disloyal group" (pg 34). Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" shows how the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism are a lot

Symbolism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller is easily one of the most complex modern writers. Crucible, for example, is a layered bean–dip of meaning and symbolism. At first
glance, it a story mocking and analyzing the individual human motives behind a dark piece of history. Upon closer look The Crucible is a criticism of
the hysteria and mod mentality surrounding the persecution of communists during the Cold War. Death of a Salesman analyzes the American Dream in
modern culture. A family attempts to uphold outdated values through modern means and the result is disastrous. Lorraine Hansberry explains the
predicament thusly: "Something has indeed gone wrong with at least part of the American dream, and Willy Loman is the victim of the detour.... His
predicament in a New... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These stockings symbolize the individual longings and shortcomings of the humans in search of the American dream. Linda sits at the table
mending her stockings and Willy becomes angry saying he would buy her new ones. However, the audience and Biff discover that Willy gave the
stockings to his mistress. For Biff the stockings symbolize an end to parental fairytale marriage. In a way they set Biff over the edge and put the
notion in his head that his father can lie. If Willy can lie about his intentions and promises, he could lie about a lot. It is the beginning of the
deflation in Biff's ego and opens his eyes to what Willy really is. The stockings are also a symbol of Willy's knowledge of his failure. "Because
Willy gave stockings to other women while Linda sat at home mending hers, the stockings were a material signifier of Willy's sexual guilt and his
failure to provide for his family as well as he thought he should" (Murphy). On some level, Willy knew he wasn't all he cracked himself up to be.
By giving the stockings to the other woman, Willy is acknowledging his inability to provide sufficiently for his family. Even years later, Willy is
still dealing with the ramifications of his failures. "WILLY: Will you stop mending stockings? At least while I'm in the house. It gets me nervous. I
can't tell you. Please" (Miller, Pg. 75). Years after Biff discovers Willy's shortcomings, stockings still remind Willy of that day and his failures. The
stockings serve as a reminder and symbol of Willy's inaptitude and the end of Biff's life under his father's influence. The stockings point out yet another
flaw in the American

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