How do people’s beliefs impact their behavior? Explain your reasoning…

 Arthur Miller is a famous playwright/author who wrote “All of my Sons” (1947), Death of a Salesman” (1949) and our new piece, “The Crucible.  Miller was known for “understanding the depth of the United States.”  He was a student at the University of Michigan. (This is where he began his career.)  He was born in New York City on October 17, 1915.

 Fun Fact- He was married to Marilyn Monroe!  The play “The Crucible” stems from his own work with the Salem Witch trials of the 1600’s. › Who can expand on this time period?

 What year did the trials happen?  What do historians believed that these “trails” stemmed from?  Does anyone remember the characteristics that defined a witch?

 Does anyone know the historical event that paralleled to the Salem Witch Trials?  What other historical events were happening in the US that gave people a sense of hysteria?  Why might the events of more current history be important to “The Crucible”?

 In an odd way, then, The Crucible is best read outside its historical context—not as a perfect allegory for anti-Communism, or as a faithful account of the Salem trials, but as a powerful and timeless depiction of how intolerance and hysteria can intersect and tear a community apart. In John Proctor, Miller gives the reader a marvelous tragic hero for any time—a flawed figure who finds his moral center just as everything is falling to pieces around him.

 Look at the pre reading questions that preface the story… › What do they make you think about? For Homework: Please PRE-READ ACT I for class Thursday. The play is intense so use your time at home effectively. Have fun on the College Fair Trip

 Complete your journal  History/Miller Recap  Character Selection › Who would like to sign up for parts to play? › I need a character keeper. You will keep the list of characters for your class.

Define the word “Crucible” and provide an example.

 Think about a time when you or someone you know tried but failed to change someone’s opinion; How might it feel to have your argument rejected and to know that the other person continues to hold a view that you do not?

 John Proctor  Rev. John Hale  Elizabeth Proctor  Rebecca Nurse  Reverend Parris  Thomas Putnam  Giles Corey  Ann Putnam  Tituba  Mary Warren  Ruth Putnam  Herrick  Mercy Lewis  Mary Warren  Betty Parris  Martha Corey  Ezekiel Cheever  Judge Hathorne

 Complete Journal  Character Update › Does anyone want to change/update their character? I made a mistake yesterday so we will run through everything again.  Let’s Play a game….  Oral Reading (if there is time)

 What role do you think that rumor has in the creation of hysteria? › Explain

We are going to play a game. Get into teams and get ready. You have 5 minutes to review your notes. Ready… Set… Go!

 So… We need to learn the elements of drama to effectively “pull the story” apart.  So here is what I found, rces/interactives/lit-elements/