Critical Reading

 

____    1.            What is Reverend Parris upset about at the opening of Act I?

a.	rumors of witchcraft circulating in the community
b.	Abigail’s dismissal from the Proctor household
c.	his daughter’s condition and the possible connection to her inappropriate activities in the woods
d.	Tituba’s influence over the children

 

 

____    2.            From the comments of Parris in Act I, his concern for his daughter seems primarily based on his

a.	anxiety about his reputation.	c.	great love for his only child.
b.	fear for the fate of her soul.	d.	terror of the Devil.

 

 

____    3.            What can be inferred from Act I about the attitude of Puritans toward their slaves?

a.	They saw their slaves as equals in God’s sight.
b.	They saw their slaves as being only a step removed from paganism.
c.	They feared and mistrusted their slaves.
d.	They treated their slaves as valued members of the household.

 

 

____    4.            Thomas Putnam’s attitude toward Reverend Parris is one of

a.	mistrust.	c.	pity.
b.	respect.	d.	contempt.

 

 

____    5.            This passage is from the background information at the opening of Act I. For what detail that comes out later in Act I does this information prepare you?

Long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions. Land-lust which had been expressed before by constant bickering over boundaries and deeds, could now be elevated to the arena of morality . . .

 

a.	Putnam arguing with Proctor about a piece of land to which both men lay claim
b.	Reverend Parris complaining about his salary
c.	Abigail’s reluctance to tell the truth about what happened in the woods
d.	Abigail’s dismissal from service in the Proctor household

 

 

____    6.            How does Mrs. Putnam justify sending Ruth to Tituba?

a.	Tituba promised to revive Mrs. Putnam’s dead children.
b.	Mrs. Putnam didn’t think a little foolish “conjuring” would do any harm.
c.	Mrs. Putnam thought it might help Ruth, who seemed to be ailing.
d.	Mrs. Putnam feels she deserves to know why she has had to endure the deaths of seven children.

 

 

____    7.            Mrs. Putnam’s comments suggest that her primary motivation in hunting for witches is

a.	anger at having lost her children.
b.	compassion for the two sick girls.
c.	curiosity about the mysterious events in the woods.
d.	resentment of Reverend Parris.

 

 

____    8.            Which phrase best describes Abigail Williams’s character?

a.	impulsive and thoughtless	c.	proud and manipulative
b.	naive and timid	d.	affectionate and vulnerable

 

 

____    9.            From Act I, it can be inferred that the Puritans associated the forest with

a.	dancing and other amusements.	c.	God’s presence in nature.
b.	disorder and evil.	d.	the purity of the natural world.

 

 

____  10.            From the scene in which the girls are alone, what can be inferred as the basis of Abigail’s influence over the other girls?

a.	her beauty and cleverly crafted purity
b.	her social position as the minister’s niece
c.	her charm and magnetic persuasiveness
d.	her use of her early experiences to terrorize them

 

 

____  11.            Which word best describes John Proctor’s words and actions in Act I?

a.	compassionate	c.	independent
b.	devout	d.	shrewd

 

 

____  12.            Why does Reverend Parris send for Reverend Hale?

a.	Parris feels the Salemites will be more accepting of an outside opinion.
b.	Hale is considered an expert in matters of witchcraft and the Devil.
c.	Hale is the most skilled medical person in the region.
d.	Parris feels utterly unprepared to deal with the issues he fears are at hand.

 

 

____  13.            Given this piece of information from the stage directions, what can readers conclude about Tituba’s behavior at the end of Act I?

She enters as one does who can no longer bear to be barred from the sight of her beloved, but she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back.

 

a.	Tituba is so fond of Betty that she’ll try anything to help her.
b.	Tituba is actually in love with Reverend Parris and confesses to keep him out of trouble.
c.	Tituba’s “slave sense” is what got her and the girls into trouble in the first place.
d.	She is so sure that trouble will befall her that she plays along with Hale as he pushes her for information.

 

 

____  14.            What is the setting of Act II of The Crucible?

a.	the following day at the home of John and Elizabeth Proctor
b.	Reverend Parris’s home, about a week after the accusations of witchcraft have begun
c.	the Proctors’ home, eight days after the girls have begun to accuse people
d.	the Salem meeting house, just before Abigail’s trial

 

 

____  15.            Which of the following sentences best describes the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor at the opening of Act II?

a.	They are warm and affectionate.
b.	They seem not to care about each other.
c.	They seem ill at ease together.
d.	They are hostile and bitter toward each other.

 

 

____  16.            When Elizabeth says to Proctor, “The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you,” she means that Proctor

a.	carries the knowledge of his own guilt.
b.	is too quick to judge himself.
c.	should speak more openly about his thoughts.
d.	knows that she loves him and forgives him.

 

 

____  17.            Proctor’s comment to Mary Warren, “It’s strange work for a Christian girl to hang old women,” implies that he thinks Mary’s behavior is

a.	cruel.	c.	cowardly.
b.	hypocritical.	d.	rash.

 

 

 

____  18.            Which of the following words best characterizes Mary Warren?

a.	pious	c.	gullible
b.	jealous	d.	vicious

 

 

____  19.            What is Mary’s motive in giving the “poppet” to Elizabeth?

a.	She wants to make friends with Elizabeth.
b.	She wants Elizabeth to see her as an innocent girl.
c.	She wants to plant evidence of witchcraft in Elizabeth’s house.
d.	She wants to make peace with Elizabeth after disobeying her.

 

 

____  20.            When Mary says that the crowd parted for Abigail like the sea for Israel, she makes

a.	a comparison to politics.	c.	eventual trouble for Abigail.
b.	an allusion to the Bible.	d.	a bigoted joke.

 

 

____  21.            When Hale appears at the Proctors’ door, he is described as “different now—drawn a little, and there is a quality of deference, even of guilt, about his manner now.” What accounts for this change?

a.	He has seen events go beyond his expectations in Salem.
b.	He no longer believes in witchcraft but must proceed.
c.	He feels guilty that he has also felt desire for Abigail.
d.	He fears that even he may be at risk.

 

 

____  22.            Hale’s interview with Proctor reveals Hale to be

a.	blinded by power.	c.	kind but foolish.
b.	troubled but rigid.	d.	tolerant and open.

 

 

____  23.            What is Proctor’s attitude toward Parris?

a.	He respects Parris’s devotion to God.
b.	He differs with Parris on issues of church doctrine.
c.	He believes that Parris is too interested in wealth.
d.	He thinks that Parris is too lenient in judging people.

 

 

____  24.            Why does Proctor forget the commandment forbidding adultery?

a.	He has a guilty conscience.
b.	He has never properly learned the commandments.
c.	He believes that it is an unjust commandment.
d.	He is afraid of revealing his own sin.

 

 

____  25.            When Rebecca Nurse is charged, Hale is troubled. What does he intend to point out by this allusion to the story that the Devil was once an angel?

an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven.

 

a.	that people sometimes change as they get older
b.	that even beauty is no indicator of goodness
c.	the impossibility of determining God’s will
d.	the powerful skills of deception the Devil has

 

 

____  26.            In anger, Proctor calls Hale “Pontius Pilate.” Proctor’s intention is to

a.	imply that Hale shares pagan beliefs.
b.	charge Hale with manufacturing evidence.
c.	send Hale to the Bible for study and thought.
d.	accuse Hale of doing injustice by doing nothing.

 

 

____  27.            What is implied about human nature by the number of accusations that are brought forth?

a.	People are generally irresponsible and weak.
b.	People who do not express their feelings openly cannot be trusted.
c.	People are basically vengeful and cruel.
d.	People want to find a scapegoat when things go wrong for them.

 

 

 

____  28.            Proctor believes that Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft because

a.	Elizabeth treated Abigail harshly.
b.	Abigail wants to punish Proctor for rejecting her.
c.	Abigail fears that Elizabeth will denounce her for seducing Proctor.
d.	Abigail wants to distract attention from the episode in the woods.

 

 

____  29.            What can the audience infer from Judge Hathorne’s questioning of Martha Corey at the beginning of Act III?

a.	The court is determined to uncover the truth at any cost.
b.	Martha Corey’s love of reading is the source of the accusations against her.
c.	The court presumes that anyone accused of witchcraft is guilty.
d.	Even the most respected citizens have come under suspicion.

 

 

____  30.            Hathorne’s comments to Giles Corey and Francis Nurse imply that he wants to arrest them because

a.	he believes they are challenging his authority.
b.	they are trying to introduce improperly obtained evidence.
c.	he considers them to be unprincipled and reckless.
d.	they have slandered Thomas Putnam.

 

 

____  31.            Francis Nurse tells the judges that the girls are frauds. Hathorne’s response is, “This is contempt, sir, contempt!” What is this an example of?

a.	verbal irony	c.	sarcasm
b.	dramatic irony	d.	foreshadowing

 

 

____  32.            What is Proctor’s main purpose in bringing Mary Warren to court?

a.	to strengthen her character
b.	to discredit Reverend Parris
c.	to save his wife from condemnation
d.	to demonstrate the illegality of the court’s proceedings

 

 

____  33.            During the presentation of the evidence, Proctor’s behavior toward Danforth can best be described as

a.	crafty.	c.	evasive.
b.	defiant.	d.	respectful.

 

 

____  34.            Which character represents the tactic of making personal attacks on the integrity of witnesses?

a.	Herrick	c.	Hathorne
b.	Danforth	d.	Parris

 

 

____  35.            Which type of figure is represented by Ezekiel Cheever?

a.	the witness who uses the investigation as an instrument of personal vengeance
b.	the witness who suffers for his refusal to incriminate others
c.	the naive witness who harms others by cooperating in an unjust process
d.	the public figure who misuses the power of office

 

 

____  36.            Why is Parris’s charge of conspiracy effective?

a.	It gives a plausible explanation for the divisions in the parish.
b.	It appeals to Danforth’s fears of subversion.
c.	It feeds Danforth’s sense of his own importance.
d.	It plays on Danforth’s personal antagonism to ward Giles Corey and Francis Nurse.

 

 

____  37.            What motivates Hale’s attempt to intervene on behalf of Proctor?

a.	Hale’s admiration for the Proctors
b.	Hale’s commitment to the truth
c.	Hale’s questioning of Danforth’s integrity
d.	Hale’s dislike of Parris

 

 

 

 

 

 

____  38.            What development causes Mary Warren to recant her confession and rejoin Abigail and the other girls?

a.	John Proctor’s confession of his relationship with Abigail
b.	Judge Danforth’s persistent questions
c.	the confusion about Elizabeth Proctor’s “poppets”
d.	Abigail’s pretending to be attacked by Mary’s spirit

 

 

____  39.            Why is the phrase “out of her infinite charity” in the following passage an example of verbal irony?

MARY WARREN, screaming at him: No, I love God; I go your way no more. I love God, I bless God. Sobbing, she rushes to ABIGAIL. Abby, Abby, I’ll never hurt you more! They all watch, as ABIGAIL, out of her infinite charity, reaches out and draws the sobbing MARY to her, and then looks up to DANFORTH.

 

a.	It contradicts the audience’s knowledge about Abigail’s true nature.
b.	It presents a piece of information of which the audience is not aware.
c.	It emphasizes Abigail’s ability to be forgiving under stress.
d.	It reveals Abigail’s weakening condition.

 

 

____  40.            Which of the following is a consequence of Mary’s going back to the side of the girls?

a.	Abigail accuses Mary of being in the Devil’s service.
b.	Proctor is arrested.
c.	Reverend Hale accuses Mary of being a fraud.
d.	Marshal Herrick leads Mary away to recover from her ordeal.

 

 

____  41.            What does Proctor mean when he tells Danforth, “God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together”?

a.	We who commit wrongs knowingly are the most guilty of all.
b.	The whole community will suffer damnation for the injustices being committed here.
c.	Danforth will suffer damnation if he condemns Proctor to death.
d.	Although women are accused of witchcraft, men are greater sinners.

 

 

____  42.            Which of the following pairs of categories would not be useful for organizing the characters in Act III?

a.	Christians and non-Christians
b.	accusers and accused
c.	believers in witchcraft and nonbelievers in witchcraft
d.	liars and truth tellers

 

 

____  43.            What character does not fit into one of these categories: accuser, accused, court official?

a.	John Proctor	c.	Reverend Hale
b.	Mary Warren	d.	Giles Corey

 

 

____  44.            The setting of Act IV is

a.	Parris’s house, where the investigation began.
b.	the Salem jail, the autumn after the trial.
c.	the prison in Andover, just before the Proctors’ child is due.
d.	Danforth’s chambers in Boston, where he hears final appeals.

 

 

____  45.            Parris hopes that Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor will confess because he believes that

a.	confession will save their souls from damnation.
b.	sparing their lives will prevent public rebellion.
c.	their confessions will confirm the justice of all the trials and executions.
d.	their confessions will strengthen the faith of doubting parishioners.

 

 

____  46.            What idea about the law is conveyed by Danforth’s determination to proceed with the executions immediately?

a.	Judges tend to be corrupted by the power of their office.
b.	To delay doing justice is to commit injustice.
c.	Laws made by human beings cannot be reconciled with divine law.
d.	Injustice may be committed in the name of the law.

 

 

____  47.            Danforth treats Parris with contempt because

a.	he sees that Parris is motivated by fear for his own safety and reputation.
b.	he thinks that Parris was a fool to trust Abigail Williams.
c.	he sees that Parris cares more for wealth than for the spiritual welfare of his parish.
d.	he thinks that Parris values mercy over justice.

 

 

____  48.            What is ironic about calling the confessions of witchcraft “coming to God”?

a.	The confessions are made publicly, not in prayer.
b.	The confessions are lies and therefore sins against God.
c.	The confessions confirm that sins against God have been committed.
d.	Confession saves the confessor from death, thereby postponing the confessor’s “coming to God.”

 

 

____  49.            What lesson has Elizabeth Proctor learned during her three months’ imprisonment?

a.	that all people carry the seeds of evil within themselves
b.	that human beings cannot be held responsible for their actions
c.	that one should not judge human frailty too harshly
d.	that there are no meaningful standards of right and wrong

 

 

____  50.            Why does Hale want Proctor to confess to witchcraft?

a.	to save Proctor from execution
b.	to save others accused of witchcraft
c.	to prevent public disorder
d.	to allow Proctors’ family to keep his property

 

 

____  51.            When Proctor refuses to condemn others to save himself, his behavior contrasts most strongly with the behavior of

a.	Parris.	c.	Danforth.
b.	Hathorne.	d.	Corey.

 

 

____  52.            The climax of Act IV occurs when

a.	Parris reveals that Abigail Williams has disappeared.
b.	Elizabeth Proctor is brought into the cell.
c.	Proctor decides to confess to witchcraft.
d.	Proctor refuses to sign the confession.

 

 

____  53.            Which theme is reflected by Proctor’s decision to tear up the confession?

a.	Personal honor determines the worth of one’s self.
b.	Government authority can be resisted single-handedly.
c.	Forgiveness can be extended to the guilty as well as the innocent.
d.	The variability of justice is an evil in itself.

 

 

____  54.            Proctor’s determination to preserve his good name speaks to the McCarthy era of the 1950’s in that

a.	fear of persecution caused many to keep silent.
b.	laws were passed to prevent this kind of persecution.
c.	the Salem authorities act like communists.
d.	reputations were ruined by irresponsible accusations.

 

 

____  55.            A theme represented by Danforth’s behavior is that

a.	good and evil must finally be determined by law.
b.	those in power tend to act in the interest of preserving power.
c.	the absence of evidence renders authority powerless.
d.	legal systems cannot take personal character into account.

 

 

 

 

 

 

____  56.            After Proctor is taken off to execution, Parris urges Elizabeth to go to her husband in order to

a.	comfort him in his final moments.
b.	try once more to persuade him to confess.
c.	show that she believes the death sentence is just.
d.	make a last appeal to the mercy of the judges.

 

 

____  57.            Which idea about the play is applicable today?

a.	Superstitions of colonial America are no longer an issue.
b.	Belief in the supernatural is ipso facto dangerous.
c.	Government is overly concerned with religious issues.
d.	Fear and suspicion can lead to perversions of justice.

 

 

Vocabulary and Grammar

 

____  58.            Abigail has an “endless capacity for dissembling,” which means

a.	she is a destructive person.
b.	she is very quick to get at the heart of a matter.
c.	she frequently conceals her true motives from those around her.
d.	she is able to keep track of the different stories she tells to different people.

 

 

____  59.            Someone who has a predilection has

a.	a decisive nature.	c.	an ability to foresee events.
b.	a desire to hold an elected office.	d.	a preexisting preference.

 

 

____  60.            Which of the following characterizes an ingratiating person?

a.	Nancy does odd jobs for the neighbors to earn money for college.
b.	Marla volunteers to help her teacher sort papers after school.
c.	Ned argues with his neighbor about a broken fence.
d.	When no one is looking, Sal pushes fallen leaves onto his neighbor’s yard.

 

 

____  61.            Choose the sentence in which the italicized pronoun is correct.

a.	Mary Warren is bolder than her.
b.	Abigail fears the actions of Mercy and she.
c.	Parris blames and mistrusts Betty and her.
d.	Mr. Putnam is more eager than them to cry witchcraft.

 

 

____  62.            Choose the item that correctly identifies the omitted word and the case of the italicized pronoun in this incomplete construction. Although Abigail is frightened, she is more clever and confident than they.

a.	“. . . than they [is].”; object	c.	“. . . than [with] they.”; object
b.	“. . . than they [are].”; subject	d.	“. . . than [about] they.”; subject

 

 

____  63.            If one does something avidly, one does it

a.	eagerly.	c.	quickly.
b.	shamefully.	d.	reluctantly.

 

 

____  64.            Something that is an abomination is

a.	deafening.	c.	popular.
b.	inevitable.	d.	disgusting.

 

 

____  65.            Introductory words in sentences should be

a.	set off by commas.
b.	punctuated as if they were separate sentences.
c.	avoided.
d.	enclosed in quotation marks.

 

 

 

 

 

____  66.            Which sentence is punctuated incorrectly?

a.	Well, one may always wonder about the appearance of evil.
b.	Yes there is a modern point to the play.
c.	No historical records exist that contain dialogue.
d.	Of course, reasonable conjecture seems fair enough.

 

 

____  67.            Someone who is confounded is

a.	secure.	c.	well established.
b.	decisive.	d.	puzzled.

 

 

____  68.            Which of the following best describes a prodigious event?

a.	a rain shower, one of several in a week
b.	a minor fender bender, for which neither driver files an insurance claim
c.	an earthquake that causes floods, landslides, and loss of life and property
d.	an ancient tree falls in a huge forest, crushing several others in its fall

 

 

____  69.            Choose the item that correctly identifies and labels the subject and verb in this inverted sentence. With them is Judge Danforth, a grave man in his sixties.

a.	plural subject—them; plural verb—joining
b.	singular subject—Judge Danforth; singular verb—joining
c.	singular subject—Judge Danforth; singular verb—is
d.	singular subject—man; singular verb—is

 

 

____  70.            Choose the inverted sentence whose subject and verb agree in number.

a.	Amazed at the charge is Corey and Proctor.
b.	There are serious concerns in the community.
c.	Here come the judge to make his ruling.
d.	In the vestry waits the angry husbands.

 

 

____  71.            Someone who is adamant is

a.	condemned.	c.	numb.
b.	regretful.	d.	stubborn.

 

 

____  72.            Retaliation is

a.	explaining or accounting for something.
b.	returning an injury or wrong.
c.	temptation or enchantment.
d.	selling or compromising one’s integrity.

 

 

____  73.            Someone who is conciliatory is a(n)

a.	advisor.	c.	peacemaker.
b.	opponent.	d.	scholar.

 

 

____  74.            Which sentence is grammatically correct?

a.	The Crucible raises issues about paranoia, politics, and personality.
b.	The play raised above merely historical drama by considering contemporary events.
c.	Miller’s treatment of the theme had risen modern issues.
d.	Miller’s own raise from a poor childhood is inspiring.

 

 

____  75.            Which sentence is grammatically incorrect?

a.	Perhaps it is not so amazing that the citizens raised so little objection to the persecution of neighbors.
b.	Reverend Hale in particular, whose opinion of Proctor rose each time they met, should have stopped things.
c.	If Hale had rose to object sooner, senseless tragedy might have been averted.
d.	Raising questions about the accusers’ motives would have been a good place to start.

 

 

Essay

 

Rubric for Evaluating Essays

0	1	2	3	4
Blank paper	Incorrect purpose, mode, audience	Correct purpose, mode, audience	Correct purpose, mode, audience	Correct purpose, mode, audience
Foreign language	Brief, vague	Some elaboration	Moderately well elaborated	Effective elaboration
Illegible, incoherent	Unelaborated	Some details	Clear, effective language	Consistent organization
Not enough content to score	Rambling	Gaps in organization	Organized (perhaps with brief digressions)	Sense of completeness, fluency
	Lack of language control	Limited language control
	Poor organization

 

 

          76.            What kind of man is Reverend Parris? What does Miller reveal about him, both through background information and dialogue? How do Parris’s nature and background affect his response to issues and situations in Act I? Answer these questions in an essay, and cite examples of Parris’s actions and the motivations behind them.

 

          77.            The root of the conflict in Act I is Reverend Parris’s discovery of Tituba and the girls in the woods on the night before the action in the play begins. In an essay, trace the pieces of information that are revealed about the scene in the woods. Who did what and who saw what? How and when are pieces of information revealed to the reader, and for what reasons? Finally, explain why you think Miller reveals all information about the activities in the woods through dialogue, not through background information. How and why is his method effective?

 

          78.            In an essay, describe Reverend Hale’s role in Act III. What advice does he give to other characters, and under what circumstances? How is Hale’s role different from that of all the other characters? Knowing what you know about Hale from Acts I and II, do you think his behavior is in keeping with his previous behavior, or contradictory to it? Explain your answer.

 

          79.            The word crucible means “a container for melting or purifying metals” and “a severe test.” Why are both meanings appropriate for Miller’s play? Write an essay explaining how characters are both reduced to their essences and tested. Use examples from the play to support your ideas.

 

 

ESSAY

 

          76.            Students should be able to recall that Miller indicates that there wasn’t much good about Parris. He was formerly a merchant and apparently used to material wealth. He complains about his salary in an argument with Proctor and Putnam. He is apparently a devout minister who believes he is persecuted wherever he goes. This idea of persecution is obvious in discussions with both Abigail and Putnam. Parris worries that Betty’s condition and the activities of the girls in the woods will be the undoing of him and will cause him to lose his post, his status, and so on. The confirmation of witchcraft, he tells Putnam, will “topple” him in the community. He is a widower who has no interest in or “talent with” children. This leads to Parris’s inability to understand that the girls might have been up to utterly harmless mischief just because that’s what children do, not because they might be “witched.”

 

          77.            Students should recognize that the first information about the woods comes in a conversation between Parris and Abigail. Parris discovered the girls “dancing like heathen in the forest.” Abigail maintains they only danced. Parris speaks of witchcraft and conjuring; Abigail denies such charges. Then Parris says he saw Tituba waving her arms over a fire and screeching and that he saw someone naked. Later, Mrs. Putnam admits to having sent her Ruth to Tituba to conjure the spirits of her dead babies. Abigail offers that just Tituba and Ruth were conjuring. A conversation between Abigail, Mercy, and Mary reveals that Mercy was, indeed, naked. Finally, in the course of Mr. Hale’s “inquisition,” Abigail admits that Tituba called the Devil, then that Tituba made them drink chicken blood. Then Tituba says that Abigail begged her to conjure. Tituba, under pressure, begins naming names. Abigail joins in, and finally Betty rises up and joins in as well. Miller’s development of these details through dialogue, rather than through background information, allows to mete it out a little at a time. This builds suspense in such a way that readers as well as characters are led to the crying out at the end of the act.

 

          78.            Students should be able to cite at least several incidents when Hale speaks up for Giles Corey, Francis Nurse, John Proctor, and Mary Warren as reasonable, reliable people. Hale feels strongly that the accused deserve to be defended, and that such defense is not an attack on the court, as Parris asserts. At the same time, he counsels the husbands to be calm and to follow the rules of the court, and not to be overwrought. Hale even challenges Danforth on at least one occasion, suggesting that he must hear or accept evidence, even if it is contrary to the direction in which the proceedings are going. Students may cite Hale’s “differences” as follows: He is not a resident of Salem; he does not have any family members involved in the trial; he does not have a long history of acquaintance with the Salemites; he approaches the whole situation from an intellectual viewpoint and, some might say, a more objective one than the Salemites. Students should recall that in Act I, Hale is eager to provide his services, confident that if there is evidence of the Devil’s work, it will be tangible and he will find it. In Act II, Hale arrives at the Proctor home to let them know that Elizabeth has been “mentioned” in court. He quizzes the Proctors some on their beliefs, trying to find out for himself whether there is any cause for suspicion. Though Hale still believes that the Devil exists as an active force in the world, his opinion of the situation in Salem alters during Act III. He sees the girls for the frauds they are, he sees the vindictive nature of the accusations, and he denounces the court. This is in keeping with his intellectual approach to the subject, which would require hard evidence for proof. He recognizes that there is no hard evidence for anything that has been charged.

 

          79.            Student essays should reflect an understanding that the trials reveal the true nature of the various characters. The test characters undergo is how they will respond to a powerful lie. Parris’s weakness and smallness are exposed. Abigail steals from her uncle and runs away. Hale abandons his intellectual vanity, and his fundamental decency appears. Elizabeth learns to forgive. Giles Corey never gives in. Danforth’s leadership is mere bureaucratic cowardice. Proctor’s essential core remains unchanged, but he dies for his honesty. The heat of the experience reduces the complicated trappings of personality and circumstance to an essential test of character: The Proctors and Reverend Hale, though their lives are destroyed, are genuine. Danforth, Parris, Abigail and others are essentially cowards. Other lives melt away.