The Crucible Group

Question:

earlean
earlean
Teacher
High School - 11th Grade

What does the conversation between Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty reveal about their recent activities?

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Posted by earlean on Monday November 10, 2008 at 5:09 AM and tagged with abigail, betty, characters, conversation, mary, mercy, the crucible.

Answers:

  1. dneshan
    dneshan Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The conversation between Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty Parris reveals that they actually were in the forest the night before. They reveal that they were dancing, Abigail drank blood (a magical charm to kill Goody Proctor), and Mercy Lewis was naked. In addition, the girls’ conversation reveals that they are lying throughout the remainder of the play because they do not want to be blamed for anything that they have done. Abigail threatens to kill the girls if they say that they were doing anything other than the dancing that she already admitted to her uncle, Rev. Parris.

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    Posted by dneshan on Monday November 10, 2008 at 5:40 AM

  2. pmiranda2857
    pmiranda2857 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The conversation provides an opportunity for the girls to express their fear about what has been started by their escapades in the forest.  They are worried about the punishment that they will have to endure at the hands of the community. 

    Especially from Betty, who is terrified at what is being said, particularly by Mary Warren who understands the seriousness of an accusation of witchcraft. 

    "What'll we do? The village is out! I just come from the farm; the whole country's talkin' witchcraft! They'll be callin us witches.  Abby!" Miller  (ActI)

    "Witchery's a hangin error, a hangin like they done in Boston two year ago!" Miller (Act I)

    Betty screams for her mother, Abigail becomes violent with Betty, she slaps her hard across the face, screaming at her to shut up, to never speak of what they did in the forest again.

    The conversation also shows the reader that Abigail is the leader of the group.  She is in command of the girls behavior from this point on in the play, they will follow her lead, mimicking her as she pretends to see spirits. 

      

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    Posted by pmiranda2857 on Monday November 10, 2008 at 9:25 AM