Theme Collage and Explaination

Major Themes in the story include theocracy, empowerment, no trust, lies, and reputation. The reputation picture represents the many innocent people that forever had been great people but at a point of a finger by a lying girl destroyed their lives. The street signs and blinded lady represent to justice system. Where no matter what you did there isn't a right way, which was how blinded the systems was because the isn't common ground between politics and religion. The truth in the collage is made up of lies which was how the story was through-out. Ever thing believed to be true was a bunch of lies. The final picture which is trust is to represent the trust everyone had with each other. Unfortunately this trust seems to be blowing away, being smudged by everything going that causes people to not trust at all. Which would ruin them.

Questions I have about Act Four...

• What did Giles do to have him be crashed by stones?
• Did Tituba and Sarah Good go to Barbados?
• Was Herrick part of the witches? Were there other men involved?
• What happen to the judges from these trails?
• How was the final decision to separate church and government systems made? How long after was it?
• Were the hanging from that day the last hangings there were in Salem?

What I felt in Act four...

In the beginning I was confused so I was thinking about what could be going on. And if Herrick was part of the lying witches plan. Afterwards it didn't mention anything about it, so it left me wondering. When the judges began to talk it was expected to have them be the same ignorant people they were before. What I found shocking and had me feeling sad because Giles had died. He was an old man that wasn't much of an enemy, why'd he have to died. After I wanted John to confessed for the sake of his wife and unborn child. I was kind of shock in the moments in between his confession and his final answer. He was a sinner before but he instead of continuing to sin he decided to die a proud man. I was happy that he chose that path. Unfortunately I wish there would have been more to the story, I felt it left me hanging. The end notes were nice though.

Feeling expressed at the end by the characters...

The ending was interesting about how things turn out to be. Several of the judges still felt strongly about the accusations and wanted a confession to prove it true. I think it was because if they confessed they wouldn't feel guilt for locking them up, and the system wouldn't look bad. Other like Parris and Hale, felt guilt for some of the victims were there because of them, and because they were once part of that system that sentence many to death. Elizabeth felt sadness, I think because her husband was going to be hanged, and she was bearing a child. John Proctor when given his confession felt shame, more than when he confessed to adultery. At the end, those who were hanged that day felt pride, as did Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor because the judgement they had there didn't matter but God's once they passed over. To lie and say they were what they were not would be a sin, and they stood proudly knowing they would die good Christians.

Words I didn't know from Act Four....

"Danforth, to Herrick: Is he yet adamant? Has he struck at you again"? pg.130
Adamant: utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals

"Hale: Why it's simple. I come to do the Devil's work. I come counsel Christians they should belie themselves. His sarcasm collapses. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head"!! pg.131
Belie: To show to be false; contradict

"Proctor: I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough"! pg.142
Penitence: regret for one's wrong doings or sins

"Proctor: Beguile me not! I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence"! pg.143
Beguile: to influence trickery or flattery; mislead or delude

What I thought as I read Act Three...

At first, I was thinking that the judges would see their mistake and free the people accused, or at least the men wives. I thought for sure that Mary Warren's confession and testimony would be good enough to put out into the open what kind of people Abigail and the other girls were. Then I was thinking about how Parris was interrupting the conversations, my thought was because it was for his own benefit. Afterwards I thought surely the John's confession to adultery would save them, but his wife lied to save his name I was like, NO! When no one was save I thought about how two systems don't work well together, especially the justice system and religion. What really had me by completely surprise was Johns anger at the end that he would say such things like "God is dead". I was in completely shock.

One Character...

The Character I chose was Abigail Williams. She is the creator of the horrible future for Salem in the book, all because of an affair. This girl believes that if she were to kill her lover's wife, she would be wed and happy with him. To make this true she went to Tituba and other girls to help, together they experimented with charms and potions. But they were caught in the act, afraid to be disgraced they put blame on to others so none fell on them. She, at first was willing to fight for her love, then it became her life once she realized he would never be hers. She fought in a way that would send others, innocent souls, to their deaths because of her crimes. This girl then runs away. She fought well enough to not be hanged for her lies then.

Conflicts from Act Three...

In Act Three there are many conflicts that would ultimately have many innocent people hanged. The one I find most important is that the judges won't listen to good reasons because they are afraid to look bad in front of the public because they had been fooled by young girls. These girl's act has made many mad, and the know the power they can have over people. Knowing Mary Warren would break and again come to them, they put on a show that would send many to their grave. When Mary Warren broke and accused John Proctor, any hope of saving their wives was gone. Afterwards any thing said became an attempt to overthrown the court, which was the highest in the government, also connected to the church, became an attempt to overthrow God himself. That sole accusation became the downfall of any chance to reclaim innocence, along with other events.

Words I didn't know from Act Three...

"Hathorne: How do you dare come roarin' into this court! Are you gone daft, Corey"? pg. 85
Daft: senseless, stupid, or foolish

"Danforth: You- you are a lecher"? pg.110
Lecher: a man given to excessive sexual indulgence

"Danforth, Blanched, in horror, turning to Abigail: You deny every scrap and tittle of this"? pg. 111
Tittle: a small dot or marking in writing or printing; a small part or quantity

Parts I like from Act Two...

"Elizabeth: Then go and tell her she's a whore. Whatever promise she may sense- break it, John, break it". pg. 62
I just love how Elizabeth can call her husband's once lover that. I found it funny, but I could see her saying it with much seriousness.

"Proctor: evading: I- have no knowledge in that line. But it's hard to think so pious a woman be secretly a Devil's bitch after seventy year of such good prayer". pg.64
This was shocking, just two pages after Elizabeth called Abigail a whore. I didn't expect such language but I also found it interesting.

"Hale, in great pain: Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven".
This I liked because sometimes we forget this. It gives out great meaning and a wise thought to the situation.

How I felt about Act Two...

I felt better than when I was reading Act One. I was much easier to read and I could focus so much better which made me happy. Some parts shocked me because of language used to describe Abigail and women involved with the Devil. As I read it was as you could feel what they characters felt and I think it was because on the format and to way it also describes how it would be acted out. During the conversation between Elizabeth and John, I got almost mad because he would get angry at her while I felt she made good points. I also peeved me that he seemed to defend Abigail at the same time. At the end of the chapter though I could feel that he did care much for his wife as she was taken away, which was sweet.

Conflicts Characters have in Act Two...

The biggest problem I see is the Witch accusations. Many women's names are being brought up that have nothing to do with what is happening in Salem, unfortunately the one testifying are looking out for themselves and harming those they want to hurt. Another conflict is that no one trusts each other in the town because every little thing sparks a new suspicion. John in this chapter is a conflict within himself. His sin with Abigail is what created the witch in her, and the fact that he is hiding it kills him. If he were to confess he thinks his will be suspected and accused of the witch attacks. And this puts his family, more specifically his wife in danger of being hanged when he forgets the one commandment he broke.

Words I didn't know from Act Two...

"Proctor: If the crop is good I'll buy George Jacob's heifer. How would that please you"? pg.50
Heifer: A young cow over one year old that has not yet produced a calf

"Mary Warren: He sentenced her. He must. To ameliorate it: But not Sarah Good. For Sarah Good confessed, y'see". pg. 56
Ameliorate: To make or become better; improve

"Cheever: You know yourself I must do as I'm told. You surely know that, Giles. And I'd as lief you'd not be sending me to Hell. I like not the sound of it, I tell you; I like not the sound of it. He fears Proctor, but starts to reach inside his coat. Now believe me, Proctor, how heavy be the law, all its tonnage I do carry on my back tonight. He takes out a warrant. I have a warrant for your wife". pg. 72
Lief: gladly; willingly
Tonnage: much weight

Surprises from Act One...

One of the surprises from Act One was the aggression from Abigail towards Mary Warren when realizing Mary would confess her doings. She was filled with much hate, and her expression of it at Betty was shocking because her cousin was defenseless to her anger. Another surprise was the insinuated affair that Abigail and John Proctor had. I wasn't expecting that to be in a book about witches, especially because she is young and John much older. It was interesting though, because it seems to be the reason why Abigail took on being a witch. Also, I didn't expect Abigail to confess after threatening the other girls harshly. These were the only surprises, but I'm sure more are to come.

What I've read similar to this so far...

This book focuses on the Salem witch trials, which is also the topic of Witch Child. The similarities are obvious. I notice that The Crucible mentions puritans as did Witch Child, though I can't remember if the views of them were the same. Also both hold the same fear and resentment towards Indians. They see them associated with the Devil because they aren't Christians. In both you have girls that are involved with acts of conjuring spirits. So far these are the only things that I see similar between the two.

What was going through my mind during Act One...

I found it difficult to read the book continuously, and found myself very distracted. It took several tries to finish Act One. My mind wasn't in the book at all. I thought it could because it's a play and the format is different than what I'm used to reading. I also wondered a lot about who was speaking since the female characters are referred as Goody and their last name. I was very confused about everything going and that didn't help the fact that I just couldn't focus. I did find the extra information, the background information very interesting. It helped me understand and picture the characters a bit more. Unfortunately our school presented this play last year and I imagine the performers instead of having my own idea of the story. This so far is very frustrating (because of the format) and interesting to read.

Some words I didn't know from Act One...

"As the curtain rises, Reverend Parris is discovered kneeling beside the bed, evidently in prayer. His daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert". pg.3
Inert: no power of action, motion, or resistance

"Which is not to say that nothing broke into this strict and somber way of life". pg.4
Somber: dismal; melancholy

"Mrs. Putman: She ails as she must- she never waked this morning, but her eyes open and she walks, and hears naught, sees naught, and cannot eat. Her soul is taken, surely". pg.13
Naught: lost; ruined; nothing

"Rebecca: ...and I have seen them all through their silly seasons, and when it come on them they will run the Devil bowlegged keeping up with their mischief". pg.27
Bowlegged: outward curvation of the legged causing a separation of the knees when the ankles are close or in contact