The Crucible Act I questions

Act I- Questions What was Samuel Parris’s attitude toward children? Why do you think Rev. Parris has many enemies? After Parris begins to believe his daughter to be afflicted by witchcraft, what is Thomas Putnam’s advice to him? What truths come out when the adults leave the girls alone? What’s going on between Abigail and John Proctor? Why does Betty start screaming? Why are some people, including John Proctor, inclined to stay away from Sabbath meeting? Why does Hale believe the Devil would strike Rev. Parris’s house? Though Rev. Hale is trying to get Tituba to name her accomplices, who is the first person to actually mention names? Why isn’t it difficult for Ann Putnam to believe that Goody Osborne is a witch?

1. What was Samuel Parris’s attitude toward children? Samuel Parris’s attitude towards children is that children are to be seen, not heard. At the beginning of the play, he seems like he is so very concerned about his daughter’s well-being, but in all reality, he was more concerned about his reputation.

2. Why do you think Rev. Parris has many enemies? I believe Rev. Parris has many enemies because all he preaches is about hell and damnation, he also is a very judgmental person. He no longer preaches about God. Also, he is the only reverend who has expected a paying salary/paid housing along with the job.

3. After Parris begins to believe his daughter to be afflicted by witchcraft, what is Thomas Putnam’s advice to him? Putnam tells Parris that he needs to control the situation. Bringing in Rev. Hale will help to eliminate what is going on around town.

4. What truths come out when the adults leave the girls alone? That the girls are not really corrupted by the Devil (or in a coma), they are only pretending.

5. What’s going on between Abigail and John Proctor? They are having an affair. Abigail was working for John and his wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth discovered that they were having an affair and fired Abigail.

6. Why does Betty start screaming? Betty screams several times in act one of this play. The first time is when she is alone with the girls and Abigail frightens and practically beats Betty into responding to her demands. Betty first tries to jump out the window and then she starts rather hysterically accusing Abigail of doing worse things than the rest of them did last night. After Abigail hits her again, Betty is more subdued. Clearly Betty is terrified about what her father would do if he knew the truth about last night's activities, but she is also terrified by her cousin, Abigail. At the end of the act, Betty cries out again; this time she does so with relief because she sees that Abigail has found a way for all of the girls to avoid punishment. When Abigail senses that Reverend Hale and her uncle, Parris, are inclined to believe in witchcraft (Hale in earnest, Paris to avoid bringing trouble into his house), she begins the charade and the other girls follow. Betty joins the throng of voices to begin accusing those of witchcraft.

7. Why are some people, including John Proctor, inclined to stay away from Sabbath meeting? Because all Rev. Parris talks about is about hellfire and bloody damnation. People are also upset because he does that and they do not want their children to hear that type of stuff all of the time. Rev. Parris basically said he did not really care about children because they were “unmindful of their obligations”

8. Why does Hale believe the Devil would strike Rev. Parris’s house? "What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the best the Devil wants, and who is better than the minister?“ Since the Devil has already corrupted Betty, it’ll be easier for him to come into that household.

9. Though Rev. Hale is trying to get Tituba to name her accomplices, who is the first person to actually mention names? Mr. Putnam- He is the first person who asks if it is Sarah Good or Goody Osburn that she sees with the Devil. After her spill about the Devil wanting her to kill Rev. Parris, she admits that Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are witches.

10. Why isn’t it difficult for Ann Putnam to believe that Goody Osborne is a witch? Because Goody Osborne was her midwife for three of her babies (she is the person who delivered 3 out of 7 of her children who died. It only makes sense that she is a witch since those 3 children died after she touched them.

Characters- The Parris household Reverend Parris- The minister of Salem’s church. Reverend Parris is a paranoid, power-hungry, yet oddly self-pitying figure. Many of the townsfolk, especially John Proctor, dislike him, and Parris is very concerned with building his position in the community. Betty Paris- Daughter of Rev. Parris, 10 years old- has fallen into a “coma” after their dancing in the forest Abigail Williams- 17 years old, niece of Rev. Parris, strikingly beautiful, very persuasive. Had an affair with John Proctor (while she was working for him and his family, his wife fired her) Tituba- slave that Rev. Parris brought back with him from his time in Barbados (he worked there as a merchant before entering the ministry. The Forest- Puritans believed that the virgin forest was the Devil’s last preserve. The forest was the last place on earth that was not paying homage to God.---- the reason why Betty and Ruth have slipped into a “coma”

Characters- The Putnam household Mr. Thomas Putnam- nearly 50 years old- a very wealthy land owner Mrs. Ann Putnam- 45 years old, she went through 8 child births, only one child survived, the other 7 babies died during birth or a day after they were born. Ruth- the only surviving Putnam child- has fallen into a “coma” like Betty- she is around Betty’s age Mercy Lewis-the Putnam’s servant- a fat, sly, merciless girl of 18 years old.

Characters- The Proctor household Mr. John Proctor- a farmer in his middle 30s. Not easily led like the rest of Salem. Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor- wife of John Proctor. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her husband was having an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth is supremely virtuous, but often cold. Mary Warren- 17 years old, a very naïve, lonely girl (The Proctors have two sons)

Characters Reverend John Hale- called to Salem to practice his expertise in witchcraft (to perform an exorcism on the girls) and to help drive out the demons in Salem. Rebecca Nurse- 72 years old- has been a nurse for many years, has a motherly touch, especially because she has 11 children and 26 grandchildren. Francis Nurse- Rebecca Nurse’s husband- people thought highly of him- he was often called upon by people in the village to settle disputes (seen in Act 2) Giles Corey- 83 years old- very muscular, hard working old man, very powerful in the society. Martha Corey- Giles Corey’s wife (seen in Act 2) Ezekiel Cheever- clerk of court (seen in Act 2) Marshal Herrick- in his early 30s- the marshal of Salem (seen in Act 2)