The Crucible Essay: Critiques Needed!

[Sweetie Belle]

So, I have an essay on [i]The Crucible[/i] due on Thursday for Honors English. In my personal opinion, it sucks, but that's my personal opinion. So I want the input of others. Read the following, and give me critiques and such on how to make it better. [size="4"][u][b]FLAMING, TROLLING, AND SPAMMING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED[/b][/u][/size].

NOTE TO MODS: If this belongs in a different section, please move it there. Thank you.
[hr]
[center][u][b]Topic:[/b][/u] "Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work." Explain the role the following themes play within The Crucible: intolerance, hysteria, and reputation.[/center]
[hr]
[center][u][b]INTOLERANCE, HYSTERIA, AND REPUTATION[/b][/u][/center]

"Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work." In The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in 1953, three themes are found to be most prominent: intolerance, hysteria, and reputation. Each of these three can be proven at various points in the play. Intolerance is easily shown through the setting. The Crucible is set in Massachusetts in 1692. The society at that place an time was theocratic, meaning that God was sovereign, and His word was law. Hysteria is shown by the girls' reactions to the accused, and irration accusations of good, upstanding people. Reputation is show when John Proctor is himself accused, and he gives in to a confession, but tears up the paper. You'll notice that Salem, Massachusetts was very chaotic at the time of The Crucible.

Intolerance is, in my opinion, the most prominent theme of this play. Most easily noted, this play is set in the time of 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts. Massachusetts was one of England's New England colonies, and was a Puritan Settlement. The Puritans were a theocratic society; they believed that "God is the state; the state is God." That quote, however, is not from a contemporary, but was said by Leon Trotsky, but it still defines Puritan society very well. "You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it." Danforth says this to Francis in Act III. This proves the intolerance to people who aren't as well-versed in United States history.

The second theme to be noticed in this play is hysteria. Hysteria, defined by Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, is "behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess." Examples of hysteria can be found throughout the play, including in Act II, when Hale is speaking to Francis. He says, "I have seen too many frightful proofs in court -- the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!" You can also find others during the trials, when the girls "react" to the accused's supposed "spectre." However, the hysteria and accusations aren't bad for everyone; Rev. Parris used it to strengthen his position in the church, and by extension, the community, although only temporary.

"How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" says John Proctor in Act IV. This line is one of Proctor's last lines, more specifically the second to last. This line shows that his name is more valuable than his life, and he will die to save it. Reputation is obviously important to those in Salem, often bringing people to accuse others to keep their name clean. People thought that, if someone close to them was accused and found "guilty" of witchcraft, they would be guilty through association.

The time of the Salem Witch Hunt was a very hectic time indeed, with people being accused for near everything. Books other than the bible were considered a taboo, and people would always follow the mass. Your name and reputation was near the most important thing to you. If you didn't believe in God, then you were tried, and most often hung, however, after the Witch Hunt, you were simply exiled. Clearly, these times were very chaotic.

[FTW (For The Wynn)]

[quote name='SleepingKirby' timestamp='1288139762' post='4740571']
[center][u][b]INTOLERANCE, HYSTERIA, AND REPUTATION[/b][/u][/center]

"Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work." In The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in 1953, three themes are found to be most prominent: intolerance, hysteria, and reputation. Each of these three can be proven at various points in the play. Intolerance is easily shown through the setting. The Crucible is set in Massachusetts in 1692. The society at that place an time was theocratic, meaning that God was sovereign, and His word was law. Hysteria is shown by the girls' reactions to the accused, and irration accusations of good, upstanding people. Reputation is show when John Proctor is himself accused, and he gives in to a confession, but tears up the paper. You'll notice that Salem, Massachusetts was very chaotic at the time of The Crucible. [b]I'm not liking this intro. I get the idea, but it doesn't flow together. I don't know why you started with that quote, because you don't elaborate on it. It is just sort of there. Also, you start going in depth about the story, which is something you don't want to do in the intro. Save the details for the body. The goal of the intro is to draw the reader in and to give them a basic idea of what you will be talking about.[/b]

Intolerance is, in my opinion, [b]is[/b] the most prominent theme of this play. Most easily noted, this play is set in the time of 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts [b](what's with this sentence?)[/b]. Massachusetts was one of England's New England colonies, and was a Puritan Settlement. The Puritans were a theocratic society; they believed that "God is the state; the state is God." [s]That[/s] [b]This[/b] quote, however, is not from a contemporary, but was said by Leon Trotsky. [s]but[/s] [b]Even so, [/b]it still defines Puritan society very well. "You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it." Danforth says this to Francis in Act III. This proves the intolerance to people who aren't as well-versed in United States history. [b]How does this prove it? Also, you did not elaborate much on Intolerance as a whole. If I recall, wasn't the one guy intolerant of one of the Ten Commandments, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery?[/b]

The second theme to be noticed in this play is hysteria. Hysteria, defined by Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, is "behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess." Examples of hysteria can be found throughout the play, [s]including[/s] [b]for example[/b] in Act II, when Hale is speaking to Francis. He says, "I have seen too many frightful proofs in court -- the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!" You can also find others during the trials, when the girls "react" to the accused's supposed "spectre." However, the hysteria and accusations aren't bad for everyone; Rev. Parris used it to strengthen his position in the church, and by extension, the community, although only temporary. [b]This isn't too bad.[/b]

"How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" says John Proctor in Act IV. This line is one of Proctor's last lines, more specifically the second to last. This line shows that his name is more valuable than his life, and he will die to save it. Reputation is obviously important to those in Salem, often bringing people to accuse others to keep their name clean. People thought that, if someone close to them was accused and found "guilty" of witchcraft, they would be guilty through association. [b]Give another example and elaborate on it, and this will be good.[/b]

The time of the Salem Witch Hunt was a very hectic time indeed, with people being accused for near everything. Books other than the bible were considered a taboo, and people would always follow the mass. Your name and reputation was near the most important thing to you. If you didn't believe in God, then you were tried, and most often hung, however, after the Witch Hunt, you were simply exiled. Clearly, these times were very chaotic [b]because intolerance, hysteria and reputation determined the law of the land[/b].
[/quote]

This isn't too bad on the whole, you at least know what you are talking about. Don't mind my critiques, I'm just like this when I write papers.