Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York City: Chelsea Publications, 1953. Print.
In this realistic fiction book, by Arthur Miller, witchcraft and the way accusations are often based on cultural traits is presented. Setting the stage; Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Reverend Parris catches a group of girls dancing in the woods and practicing witchcraft. He is unsure of accusing them, since he is the leader of the community, but finally blames Tituba, his black, African slave. Chaos unravels, and the unfair accusations begin, conveying Miller’s topic of discrimination in the Salem Witch Trials. Miller argues that even though various people were falsely accused, the trials were biased against the poor and slaves, since nobody can prove their innocence, but the wealthy can influence decisions. He writes that “The door opens, and his Negro slave enters…. But she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually falls on her back.” , and suggests that Tituba is damned to be considered a witch. He concludes that this discrimination is unfair, but difficultly stopped since it has become a defense system for the people to maintain control. The symbolism of the persecution of the Hatch communists in the 1900s, along with his use another time period to point out the parallel of the foolishness back then, make The Crucible an enduring classic. With discrimination towards the “radicals” or people who thought differently and the adaptation of the Salem Witch Trials to criticize current issues. The Crucible may not be directly related to discrimination, but the Communist and “witches” were persecuted in the beginning because they were different, thus Miller still proposes his themes; selfishness, discrimination, and the unwillingness to stand up for what’s right.
positivelydifferent 