Hime, Christopher

Ms. Crocker

AE American Literature

27 November 2006

Crucible Theme – Scapegoating

Every person uses a scapegoat every now and then in their life to get them out of their troubles (It’s not like it’s really hurting anybody that much.). Though in the Crucible, we learn how scapegoating can get really dangerous no matter how serious the problem just might be.  People not only just accuse innocent people either; they even push it to the limits of accusing their own neighbors just for their own life.  It may seem a bit selfish but it may be because of the harsh environment of Salem that leads people, like Mary Warren, to doing such a thing.

In “The Crucible”, by Arthur Miller, Salem is run by a strict religious lifestyle known as the Puritan religion, in which people strictly lived up to the Bible’s 10 Commandments.  With all of the problems and arguments that go on through the village already, people seemingly have a hard time living up to these commandments; leave not to mention that people are filled with guilt since they hear about going to Hell for their wrong doings almost every Sunday.  This has a large part to do with scapegoating since people know that if they were to commit sin then they would go to Hell.

Although Puritan religious laws are one thing, however, another problem is the court and the judge of Salem’s court, Judge Danforth.  Danforth is one judge that none of the characters in the Crucible could get through to.  Mary Warren already tried to let him know that Abigail and the rest of the girls were only pretending to be bewitched by all of the accused people, but because Danforth believed the girls so easily, this caused a lot of trouble in the future.

It is through the characterization of Mary Warren, that we can discover the real reason why people use scapegoats in the Crucible.  From the beginning, when Mary Warren was in the Reverend Parris’s house with Abigail, Betty, and the rest of the girls through the forest, Mary Warren tried to tell Abigail that they should confess to everyone about what they did, but Abigail turned towards her and threatened to kill anyone who confessed to the adults about what happened.  It’s because of this fear that is instilled inside of Mary Warren that we learn the real reason why Mary Warren needs to scapegoat later in the court at the end of the story.  Another example in which fear plays its role is when Mary Warren fears of being hanged when told to confess by herself in court.

Though, near the end of the story, Mary Warren entered inside of the court, along side of John Proctor, with a deposition stating that she didn’t see any spirits and that she and the other girls were only pretending.  After failure of trying to prove to Judge Danforth the truth and the girls turning on her by pretending to be bewitched, she finally found the only way to get out of her trouble and that was through scapegoating on John Proctor.  This ended the life-saving escapade to free John Proctor’s friends and put even John Proctor on the scaffold to be hung.

Scapegoats

Scapegoats

1. In the Crucible, Arthur Miller shows how much scapegoating for your own life can lead to the dead of many innocent lives.  It is through the characterization of Tituba that shows how just one person that is accused of doing something wrong will do anything to get her out of her problem even if it meant accusing innocent people.
1. Every person uses a scapegoat every now and then in their life to get them out of their troubles (It’s not like it’s really hurting anybody that much.). Though in the Crucible, we learn how scapegoating can get really dangerous no matter how serious the problem just might be.  People not only just accuse innocent people either; they even push it to the limits of accusing their own neighbors just for their own life.  It may seem a bit selfish but it is because of through the harsh environment of Salem that leads people, like Tituba and Mary Warren, to doing such a thing.
2. Salem is run by a strict lifestyle known as Puritan religion, in which people strictly lived up to the Bible’s 10 Commandments.  With all of the problems and arguments that go on through the village already, people already have a hard time living up to these commandments and everywhere people go they would often hear about going to Hell for their wrong doings.
3. Reading through the Crucible, the more characters, like Abigail and Tituba, begin to use scapegoats things would become worse than they already are.  If Abigail never used a scapegoat in the first place, one can debate that the 3 innocent people wouldn’t have been hanged.
2. As one person uses a scapegoat on one person, that person uses another scapegoat on somebody else to drop the problem that he/she would have to go through.
1. Tituba enters… Abigail: She made me do it! She made Betty do it! (P.1260)

Moment later… Paris: Sarah Good!

Tituba, rocking and weeping: Aye, sir, and Goody Osburn. (P.1262)

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lol, srry guys... it's een a while since i have posted on this thingy.... i have been busy playing games and doing homework.  right now, i am in the christian club at skool.  it's pretty cool, and if anyone is intrested come to room S-8 on Fridays and Mondays during lunch.  I love that place so much.  Plus, it is the only place for me to go when i have no where else to go.  I haven't been too that many clubs to judge, but to me the Christian club is one of the best clubs at ECR.  We had the Rep. Officers come to our school to judge the school's reputation, i tried so hard to find one of them.  I wanted to talk them about how boring the school is... =( 

    kind of weird to say, but i am in love right now... and i always have been... it's pretty weird.  I love my gf so much.  I am obsessed.  I am also obsessed with the holy bible that i just started reading.  So many stories that relate to life.  It is kind of hard though cuz right now i am learning more about God and at the same time reading up on Greek Mythology in English.  Anway,

  I am an old person... i mean i was walking with popularity till popularity abandoned me in the year 2000.  You guys gotta ring me up on the latest music and movies in stuff, cuz i am just out-of-date.  Anyway, laterz people.