1. Analyzing Contemporary American Theatre &The Crucible
Allegory and Persuasion

2. Plot Analysis
Exposition: important background information such as setting (time and place); characters and relationships between characters; and any other relevant factors that the audience needs to know to understand the beginning of the play
Inciting Incident: this is the one event that sets the main conflict of the play in motion; can occur before the play begins.
Rising Action: a SERIES of events that complicate the plot and add to the conflict
Turning Point: a single event or choice made by a character that could potentially change the course of events in the play
Climax: the single event of the play that has the most emotional intensity
Falling Action: the events that immediately follow the climax of the play
Denouement (Resolution): events that resolve the main conflict of the play

3. The Crucible as Allegory
a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
a story in which the characters and events are symbols that stand for ideas about human life or for a political or historical situation
Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953
His response to The Red Scare
Red Scare: the fear of communism influencing society (through film and tv) and infiltrating the federal government
Miller makes a comparison between the witch hunt in Salem (in 1692) and the search for communists in Washington and Hollywood in the 1950’s

4. Historical Background in Salem
Salem 1692: Massachusetts Bay Colony
Factors that contributed to the hysteria—these are the fears in fear+trigger=witch hunt
Royal Charter Revoked—fear of losing land to new settlers and fear of another war with France
Theocratic form of government
Massachusetts Body of Liberties—no law can be created that is in conflict with anything in the Bible
Strong Puritan belief in the Devil/punishing God
Small Pox Epidemic of 1691—believed God was punishing settlement for secret sins
Increased Indian Raids—savages/devils lived in the forest
Suspicion and Resentment of neighbors
Fear of Outsiders

5. Arthur Miller (1915-2005) Began playwriting career in college
1st success: All My Sons (1947)
1st great American Tragedy: Death of a Salesman (1949)
Wrote The Crucible as a response to Red Scare of 1940s and 50s
Specifically targeted ppl who were in the arts and show business

6. Red Scare House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC)
Formed in 1938, gained steam after WWII
Focused on left wing Americans who might be communist sympathizers
1947: began to focus on Hollywood—directly affected Arthur Miller

7. Factors that Contributed to Red Scare
Alger Hiss Trial/Rosenbergs Trial
Truman Doctrine
Truman Loyalty Program
There was a climate of fear in America after WWII as a result of the rise of communism in Eastern Europe. As the Soviet Block extended its influence, Americans became wary of a communist takeover. Miller saw the similarities in the climate of Salem prior to the witch trials and the climate in America prior to the Red Scare.

8. Red Scare Joseph McCarthy: senator from Wisconsin
1950: Claimed to have names of 205 communists working in the State Department
Targets democrats associated with New Deal Policies
Targets Hollywood—writers and actors—believed to be producing films with subversive communist messages
McCarthyism: anti-communist hysteria or the policy of Gov’t rooting out communism

9. Joseph McCarthy (con’t)
People called before HUAC were encouraged to confess and name others involved
Result of not confess or naming names
Blacklisted—could not find work in their previous line of business
Many left US, others committed suicide
Arthur Miller: refused to name names…
As a result, he was fined for contempt of court

10. Methods of Persuasion
Logos: a writer or speaker’s attempt to persuade the audience by using reason and logic
Pathos: a writer or speaker’s attempt to persuade the audience by using emotion, usually fear or sadness
Ethos: a writer or speaker’s attempt to persuade the audience by proving his/her own credibility and reliability

11. Methods of Persuasion McCarthy relies primarily on Ethos and Pathos
When he claims to have the names of 205 communists in the State Dept., it is an attempt at Logos, but because it was untrue, he really doesn’t use logos
In The Crucible, Miller uses all three
Logos: Offers the readers logical reasons as to why the people of Salem turned on one another
Grudges, land disputes, etc
Pathos: We are meant to sympathize with Proctor and understand why he nearly confesses, but also why he tears up the confession
Ethos: Through the research and notes in the stage directions in Act I, Miller establishes his credibility as a researcher of the period.