Study Questions
1. What does Abigail do when confronted with Mary’s accusation of pretense?

2. What behavior of Abby’s does Proctor bring to the judges’ attention?

3. Why does he choose to reveal these things?

4. What is Reverend Parris’ reaction to these charges against his niece?

5. How is Mary asked to prove that the girls were lying?

6. How does Abigail respond to Mary’s assertions that the girls were all lying?

7. What does Proctor finally call Abigail?

8. Who is brought in to back up this accusation, and what does she do?

9. How does Mary finally respond to Abby’s behavior?

10. What happens to Proctor at the end of the act?

Answers
1. Abby denies the proceedings are mere pretense.

2. Abby has laughed at prayer and danced naked in the woods.

3. Proctor attempts to show flaws in Abby’s Christian character that might prove that she is lying.

4. Parris reacts to the charges against Abby as if they were personal insults against himself.

5. Mary is asked to fake fainting to show how the girls were faking in the court.

6. Abigail turns against Mary, claiming that Mary has sent her spirit out to afflict her.

7. In desperation, Proctor calls Abigail a whore, confessing his lechery.

8. Elizabeth is brought in to back up her husband’s testimony, and she lies.

9. Mary is terrified, and rather than risk being hanged as a witch, she once again sides with the other girls and accuses Proctor of being a witch.

10. Proctor is arrested and jailed as a witch.