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The Crucible Character Analysis

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What would happen if power and control were held in the hands of people who were destined to get what they wanted? In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a small Puritan town called Salem, based on Christian beliefs and the idea of good versus evil, takes a turn for the worse after the corruption is expressed in the people there. The main themes in the play prompt the outcome of the story to hold universal and enduring meanings. Hysteria, reputation, and empowerment between characters drive the main plot of The Crucible and are responsible for the actions of the people who found themselves in between the impure minds in Salem. To begin with, the people of Salem thought greatly about their status and reputation in the village and did what they could to keep their name clean. In act one, the people of Salem are informed about the daughters of Thomas Putnam and Reverend Parris becoming sick of unknown conditions. The people speak of witchcraft and begin to spread rumors about the two. When Parris is asking Abigail about the reasoning behind her actions in the woods, Parris questions Abigail about the pureness of her name in the village to which she recalls, “why, I am sure it is, sir. There be no blush about my name,” (Miller 1132). The people of Salem thought a great deal about each other's reputations and not only tried to keep themselves clean but also lived by these Puritan virtues. Later on, Parris is speaking with Mrs. Putnam who makes the claim that each of her seven babies

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