The Crucible Reading Notes - Act Four
Please answer the following in your posts for Act Four of The Crucible:
A. Observation - Write who, what, where, when, why, and how for the historical context of each reading. (Remember, this should be your longest section.)
B. Interpretation - Write down your questions in regard to what the text means. You do not need to immediately find the answers to every question, but at least make note of them.
C. Application - You must have a personal opinion such as how the selected passages or question makes you feel, how it has meaning or lacks meaning, or why it is difficult to accept, etc. Optional !!!D. Lists - Make a couple of lists in an attempt to clarify observations, characters, interpretations, and applications. Many times lists can alleviate confusion and further understanding. Please remember that this post is worth 50 points and is due by 8:00a.m. on Tuesday morning, 10/3/06!
A. Observation - Write who, what, where, when, why, and how for the historical context of each reading. (Remember, this should be your longest section.)
B. Interpretation - Write down your questions in regard to what the text means. You do not need to immediately find the answers to every question, but at least make note of them.
C. Application - You must have a personal opinion such as how the selected passages or question makes you feel, how it has meaning or lacks meaning, or why it is difficult to accept, etc. Optional !!!D. Lists - Make a couple of lists in an attempt to clarify observations, characters, interpretations, and applications. Many times lists can alleviate confusion and further understanding. Please remember that this post is worth 50 points and is due by 8:00a.m. on Tuesday morning, 10/3/06!
posted by Jenni Vega | 7:06 PM
2 Comments:
A. Observation
Act Four begins in Salem jail othe fall after all of the trials have taken place. Marshal Herrick goes to visit Sarah Good and Tituba in their cell. WHen he wakes them up, they are cinvinced that it is the Devil coming to bring them home. When they are disappointed that it is the marshal, they tell him how the Devil is going to take them to Barbados as soon as he got there with the feathers and wings. The bellow of a cow is then heard and it gets them excited thinking the Devil has come all over again. They are taken away, and Danforth, Hathorne, and Cheever enter the scene. They start discussing how Parris is going around to the prisoners and ministering, trying to convince them to confess to witchcraft. At this moment he is with Rebecca Nurse. They continue to discuss how Reverend Hale should not be allowed to visit the prison. Parris is brought in and it is revealed that there has been a "rebellion" in Andover. It is also mentioned that since so many have been imprisoned, that there are cows just traveling around. After this, Parris states that his daughter has appeared to have gone missing, and that Mercy Lewis was gone, too. It is revealed the Parris's strongbox had been broken into, and that his daughter had talked about ships. Their conversation goes on and eventually they send for Elizabeth. They mention to her that her husband is to hang that morning, but she is aware. They ask her to go into John's cell and convince him to confess to witchcraft. Hale tries to comfort her in the fact that God might condemn a liar less harshly than he would someone who threw his life away for pride. Elizabeth agrees to speak with him, but promises nothing. Proctor and her talk to each other for the first time in about three months. At first, John delights over the child's growth, then they discuss their children. Elizabeth tells John how many people have confessed, and how Giles Corey was pressed to death. Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey would not confess, Elizabeth says. ELizabeth and john then get into a fight about confessing, and John, in the end, decides to confess. When he announces this, Parris and the others are shocked. John has confessed but at first will not sign the contract. Rebecca Nurse is then brought in, and is confused that he is confessing. John is ashamed. They begin to question him and ask him if he saw anyone, namely Rebecca Nurse, with the Devil, but he denies it. After he reluctlantly signs the contract, then he will not hand it over. When they say it is not valid unless he gives it to them, he gives up his lie and begins to rip up the contract, claiming that there was some good left in John Proctor. They scene ends implying that John and Rebecca were hung very soon after.
B. Interpretation
Why would they need to post on the church a written a nd signed confession to witchery on they church, and why would they take delight in John Proctor confessing? Did they know that he had done no wrong since they had discussed earlier that he was a good man unlike many of those who were in prison? When did Tituba and Sarah Good think that they were actually in the Devil's service, and that he was coming to bring them to Barbados? I am so glad that I did not live in this crazy time period.
C. Application
This is such a sad and almost inspirational piece of literature. It shows how een though Proctor would never see his unborn child, that they killed him anyway. The episode in the end of Act Four is able to be learned from because even though it was extremely tempting to give in to the false prosecutions of the people around him, John Proctor, in the end, chooses not to let them have the satisfaction of being right when they are really wrong. In the midst of persecution, Proctor comes out clean, exclaiming that there is a shred of goodness left in John Proctor, "not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs."
A
The final act starts in jail where Marshal Herrick walks in on Sarah Good and Titubla who are waiting for the devil to take them to Barbados. They are taken away and the rest of the judges enter. Danforth says that Reverend Hale shouldn't be able to come to the jail and talk to the condemned in order to help them to confess. They call Parris and Parris says that the reason he let them was to bring the "witches" back to God. He says that Abigail and Mercy conspired to get away from their parents. He also says that all his money has been stolen and he is broke. He asks the judges to stop the excecutions but they say that it wouldn't be justice since there have already been hangings. They ask if John Proctor has been spoken to yet and Parris says no. They then call for Elizabeth and want her to tell John to confess so that he may live. Elizabeth doesn't promise that she will but is allowed to speak to John. She says she will not judge his decision if he admits that he is a witch. He says that he will confess and they write down his confession. While he admits to doing the devil's work, he says that he has seen none of the others with the devil. He is finally pressured into admitting that he is lying. Elizabeth starts crying as John is taken away to be hanged.
B
Why do Sarah Good and Tituba keep telling the Marshall that they are waiting for the devil. Are they insane or did Abigail make them believe it? Why did Abigail leave? Her plan was still working so why did she take off? Did she not want to stay to see the deaths of the people she condemned?
C
I think that it is silly and a stretch that they were still hanging people after they discovered that Abigail was a thief. It's sometimes hard to distinguish whether Arther Miller is making a point or just saying these things for the sake of the story. I personally think that it is all a stretch and don't think that the Crucible is that great of a piece of literature.
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