Stephanie Gianvito

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Crucible Act 1 Study Guide

1. Why is Rev. Parris so angry at Abigail? What is really at stake? Reverend Parris is afraid that
the faction of his enemies will use the knowledge that the girls were conjuring witchcraft against
him. His ministry’s at stake.

2. Speaking of Rev. Parris, what is Miller’s claim and tone towards him? What textual proof do
you have? Miller’s claim towards Reverend Parris is that he is completely self-absorbed and
foolish. Self-absorbed because he can think only of his own reputation and foolish because he
allows himself to be convinced that witchcraft is involved in his daughter’s “illness.”

Miller gives Reverend Parris a tone of paranoia and desperation.

3. List some of the rhetorical devices that are used on pages 8-15.

- pg. 8 uses foreshadowing when Tituba’s “slave senses” tell her that as always, trouble
in the house always lands on her back.

- pg. 11 uses a metaphor when Parris says “I have fought here three long years to bend
these stiff-necked people to me.”

- pg. 15 uses foreshadowing when it says “ So it’s not surprising that his daughter led the
crying out at the most opportune junctures of the trials, especially when---- But we’ll speak of
that when we come to it.

- pg. 15 uses personification when it says “There are hurtful, vengeful spirits layin’ hands
on these children.

Ex: “There be no blush about my name.” Blush is figurative language/symbol that is used to
evoke the sense that Abigail may have done something which would bring shame or
embarrassment to herself.

4. What is Miller’s claim and tone towards Thomas Putnam? What is your textual proof for this?
Miller’s claim towards Thomas Putnam is that he is a vindictive, arrogant, and manipulative man
who will do anything to show his superiority. This is supported with the story of Putnam jailing
Bayley just because his brother lost to him and others.

Miller’s tone towards Thomas Putnam is mocking and apathetic. Miller mocks Putnam’s morally
deprived actions and is apathetic towards his “grievances.”

5. List some of the rhetorical devices that are used on pages 15-25.
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- pg. 15 uses a metaphor when it says “And yet, each would wither in my arms the very
night of their birth,” in reference to her seven children.

- pg. 15 uses a euphemism when it says “I have laid seven babies un-baptized in the
earth.”

- pg. 15 uses a simile when it says “…and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pulling on
her life too.

- pg. 16 uses a hyperbole when it says “For how else is she struck dumb…”

6. What is Miller’s claim and tone towards John Proctor? What is your textual proof for this?
Miller’s claim towards John Proctor is that he is not easily manipulated, shows a fool his
foolishness, and is internally troubled by his own hypocrisies. He basically says all this on page
20 and supports it with the conversation between Proctor and Abigail that mentions their affair.

7. What does Proctor think about himself? He considers himself to be a fraud because he hates
hypocrisy yet sinned against his own vision of decent conduct by having an affair with Abigail.

8. What is T. Putnam’s problem with the Nurses? T. Putnam’s problem with the Nurses involves
a land war between the two families, the fact that the Nurse clan was in the faction that prevented
Bayley from taking office, and that the family broke away from Salem to help create Topsfield.

9. Why does Mrs. Putnam hate Rebecca Nurse? Mrs. Putnam has had 7 children pass away the
very night that they were born and hates Rebecca Nurse for throwing it in her face that she has
11 children and 26 grandchildren, and therefore knows more about caring for children.

10. What is Miller’s tone towards Rev. Hale? What is your textual proof for this? Miller’s tone
towards Reverend Hale is completely mocking and satiric. He speaks of him and his beliefs in a
way that makes him sound naïve and childish like the story of the “witch” he uncovered and
brought home with him so that the girl she had been afflicting could recover.

11. What is Miller’s concept towards the devil and hell? Why do you think he clarifies this? (pgs
33-36) Miller’s concept towards the devil and hell is that it is merely a weapon designed and
used to whip men into surrendering to a particular church or church-state. His distaste for it is
clear when he says “only England has held back from the temptations of contemporary
diabolism.” He probably clarifies this to show that the views being voiced by the characters in
the book do not reflect his own personal views ( kind of like the disclaimer some TV stations use
before airing a controversial show like the 300 club).

12. What is Miller’s claim towards Giles Corey? What is your textual proof for this? Miller’s
claim towards Giles Corey is that he can be a crank and nuisance but is also innocent and brave.
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He is the town’s scapegoat. This is supported with the stories about searching his house when a
cow goes missing and knocking on his door when arson occurs.

13. What is the so-called logic being used on pages 36 through the end of ACT 1? The “logic”
being used on pages 36 through the end of ACT 1 is that through blaming your actions on
someone else, you can release your sins and come out unpunished. Abigail blames everything on
Tituba, who in turn blames Sarah Good, Putnam blames Osburn, and then Betty and Abigail start
spitting out all kinds of names.