The Crucible Group at eNotes

Abigail Williams adds drama, suspense, intrigue, and tons of motive for...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 21:01:47 PST

Abigail Williams adds drama, suspense, intrigue, and tons of motive for all of the accusations that occur. In the real Salem Witch trials, she was only eleven, and John Proctor was in his sixties, and there was no affair that occurred at all. So, Miller tweaks things a bit in order to add drama to the play itself. Interestingly, his added and fictional affair makes the accusations much more understandable and less illogical than they...

Sadly, no, life is not fair. Bad things happen to good people, and bad...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 20:57:44 PST

Sadly, no, life is not fair. Bad things happen to good people, and bad people are rewarded in positive ways. However, most people would probably agree that each and every one of us are beset with bad luck now and again, and you will rarely ever hear people claiming to be overwhelmed by good fortune. Such is life. We cannot always control what happens to us, but a positive outlook helps to override the feelings of a life that is unfair.

Wow this is a topic we can look at from a pragmatic or spiritual...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 20:24:29 PST

Wow this is a topic we can look at from a pragmatic or spiritual perspective. If one is spiritual then life is fair as one will either receive and experience those life events assigned to be part of life. Consequently, we will also be given the strength to deal with whatever is thrown our way if we choose. Pragmatically, hell no life isn't fair. Innocent people are convicted. Guilty people go free. Drunk drivers kill people. Children die at...

In "The Crucible" why did Arthur Miller incorporate Abigail in the story...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 18:58:47 PST

In "The Crucible" why did Arthur Miller incorporate Abigail in the story the way he did? What are examples of her bitterness?

Of course, the world isn't fair and wasn't fair during the Salem Witch...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 18:05:51 PST

Of course, the world isn't fair and wasn't fair during the Salem Witch Trials and during the Red Scare. Justice systems are run by humans who are imperfect and who, therefore, make unfair decisions.

I don't think the world we live in is fair. If you think about it even...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 16:05:45 PST

I don't think the world we live in is fair. If you think about it even good people can suffer. People get diseases when they have done nothing to deserve it. Others are abused and neglected, even children, who are innocent victims. This isn't fair! As far as the rest of the world. Is it fair that we waste food while others are starving TO DEATH? Is it fair that movie stars and athletes make more making a movie or playing a game than I will in...

It seems like you'd have to define "fair" if you are going to answer...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 13:40:56 PST

It seems like you'd have to define "fair" if you are going to answer this question. So, if you're supposed to answer this for class, I'd suggest you start by defining fair -- there's no right answer, but you need to define it if you are going to determine whether the world is fair. To me, fairness is in whether what happens to you in life is in line with what you deserve. By that definition, of course the world isn't fair. If it were,...

I think the answer that most people will say "no" and I agree. One...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 13:39:34 PST

I think the answer that most people will say "no" and I agree. One fundamental fact that virtually all people will agree with is that no one is perfect and no society is perfect. In the light of these imperfections, there will be many injustices of differing degree and kind. What makes things even more pessimistic is that even with advancement and knowledge, things are not getting better. To make a long story short, inequalities, injustices,...

is the world we live in fair?

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 13:34:07 PST

please think hard

no nothing's impossible just follow your heart

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 08:21:10 PST

no nothing's impossible just follow your heart

"The Crucible" Diary Project

In answering this question, much depends on what your own beliefs are...

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 03:12:00 PST

In answering this question, much depends on what your own beliefs are regarding the play. By Act III, a clear delineation between how individuals behave has been made. As you read through the events, which one seemed to have the most impact on either the characters or you, as the reader? This might come down to what you believe the driving force of the play is. Would the accusations and how they gain a life of their own constitute...

What event or speech in Act 3 of The Crucible made the strongest...

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 21:10:42 PST

What event or speech in Act 3 of The Crucible made the strongest impression on you? Explain.

This question has been previously asked and answered. Please see the...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:36:16 PST

This question has been previously asked and answered. Please see the link below, and thank you for using eNotes.

What gift did Mary give Elizabeth in The Crucible?

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:49:59 PST

What gift did Mary give Elizabeth in The Crucible?

In a way, you could say that Reverend Parris is the main cause of the...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:02:24 PST

In a way, you could say that Reverend Parris is the main cause of the witch trials that occur in the play. It is Parris who finds the girls in the woods. You can't really blame him for that. But he must have raised his daughter in a pretty strange way if her reaction to being caught doing something wrong is to faint and stay unconscious (or pretend to be) for a long time. So you can blame him for that. So once she's like that, what does...

How is Parris to blame in the Salem Witch Trials? How could he be held...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:27:01 PST

How is Parris to blame in the Salem Witch Trials? How could he be held responsible?

I think what you're referring to is the place where Danforth asks...

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:40:05 PST

I think what you're referring to is the place where Danforth asks Elizabeth Proctor if her husband, John, has cheated on her with Abigail Williams. What happens during this questioning is that Elizabeth lies. She tells Danforth that she fired Abigail because she THOUGHT John was interested in Abigail. But she says that he never actually cheated on her. I think this is ironic because, when we first met her, Elizabeth was extremely angry at...

From Act 3, what happens during Danforth's questioning of Elizabeth, and...

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:30:14 PST

From Act 3, what happens during Danforth's questioning of Elizabeth, and why is this ironic?

I think the Act II question is the most intriguing. The fear,...

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:09:20 PST

I think the Act II question is the most intriguing. The fear, paranoia, and lack of voice which seemed to mount in Salem at the time of Witchcraft Trials were also present in the 1950's with McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. In both setting, to be accused was tantamount to guilt. This created a setting where individuals were afraid to speak out against incorrect accusations for fear of being accused themselves. In...