Essay/Term paper: The crucible 3

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Papers

ACT I

The whole accusations of any kind of witchcraft could have been
avoided here in the first act. When Hale, the witchcraft
expert, arrives in town, he is sent to see Betty Parris. While
he is interviewing the Putnams and Mr. Parris on what has
happened herein Salem. He discovers some alarming details. He
comes with all his knowledge of witchcraft and looking for
signs of witchcraft. He tells Rebecca Nurse: "If she is truly
in the Devil's grip we may have to rip and tear to get her
free." (pg. 39) This is enough to scare the parents to the
point where they don't necessarily care what happened, they
just want their children better and someone or anyone to pay
the price. If someone else had come to town in the place of
Hale, a non-believer in witchcraft, all the accusations of
witchcraft may have been avoided. Someone else may have ruled
out witchcraft and spent time searching to find a natural
cause, and probably would have found one.

ACT II

Many of the John and Elizabeth Proctor's problems could have
been avoided in this act. When Mary Warren gave Goody Proctor
the poppet, she should have realized that with the ridiculous
accusations of witchcraft going on in the town that it may not
have been a good idea to keep a poppet in the house. Instead
all she says when she receives the poppet is, "Why, thank you,
it's a fair poppet." (pg. 56) she does not think much of it.
When Cheever comes for Elizabeth he says that he was sent to
search the house for poppets, when he discovers once, he
realizes that he has been sent for a good reason. If Elizabeth
had disposed of the poppet, knowing the trouble that it may
have caused, Cheever would have come to search and found
nothing, therefore he would have had to let Elizabeth remain
where she was.

ACT III

In the third act, the Salem Witch Trials, which had already
begun, could have been put to an end. John Proctor brought
Mary Warren to the court after persuading her to tell the
judges that she and Abby and the rest of the accusing girls had
been lying the entire time. Mary Warren begins to explain this
to the court, but then has a change of heart and she decides to
re-join the side of Abby and the girls. Mary Warren turned on
John Protor and the truth when she exclaimed, "Abby, Abby, I'll
never hurt you more." (pg. 119) If Mary Warren would have
stuck with her story and the truth, everything may have been
resolved with all fairness. Other girls may have decided to
come forth on the part of Mary Warren. The all could have
testified against Abby and convinced the town that no
witchcraft had ever taken place. All would be spared except
Abby and any of the other girls that may have deserved
punishment.

ACT IV

In this act there was a simple solution to save John Proctor's
life, that was passed by. All John had to do was admit to
witchcraft, whether he was guilty or not. If John would have
signed a testimony of his admittance to witchcraft his life
would have been spared. Elizabeth was able to persuade him to
choose his life when she admitted herself. "Do what you
will...Forgive me, forgive me, John--I have never known such
goodness in the world." (pg. 137) Proctor admits by mouth by
still refuses to sign. If John had chosen to sign the
testimony rather than keep his name clean he could have
remained alive for the sake of his children. He could have
been reunited with Elizabeth and had his next child with her.
IF John would have only not been so selfish to only think about
his name, he, Elizabeth and the children could have lived
happily ever after. The could have moved away from Salem to
clear their names. In death he name was tarnished anyway. He
was hanged for witchcraft.