The Crucible

Lesson 11
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ELA

Unit 7

10th Grade

Lesson 11 of 22

Objective


Draw parallels between McCarthyism and the events of The Crucible.

Explain events of the rising action and the irony of the situation.

Readings and Materials


  • Play: The Crucible by Arthur Miller  — Act II, pp. 53-60 and pp. 60-67

  • Article: “McCarthyism” by USHistory.org 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

What message do you think Arthur Miller wanted to send to his readers by writing The Crucible during the McCarthyism era? Explain using evidence from both texts.

What is Miller’s purpose in the scene on pp. 60–67? Explain.

Key Questions


Homework Review: The Crucible (pp. 53–60):

  • What does Mary Warren give to Elizabeth? Explain.
  • Mary Warren brings a lot of news to John and Elizabeth Proctor. What is this news?
  • Does John Proctor believe Mary Warren when she says Sarah Good is a witch?
  • What shocking news does Mary Warren give John and Elizabeth at the end of last night’s reading, and what does she mean by it?
  • What is Elizabeth suggesting John do on p. 58? 
  • Why does she think it will work?
  • What does Elizabeth suspect is Abigail’s motive?

“McCarthyism”:

  • According to the third paragraph, what is McCarthyism?
  • “At the height of McCarthyism, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed for supposedly handing over American nuclear secrets to the Soviets.” In this sentence, the word “supposedly” serves what purpose?
  • What themes arise in both the McCarthyism of the 1950s and the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s?

The Crucible (pp. 60–67):

  • How do the Proctors greet Hale? What does this show of their public character versus private?
  • What news does Hale reveal that shocks the Proctors? Why is this so shocking?
  • Explain the disagreement between the Proctors and Hale on p. 61.
  • What is the significance of the golden candlesticks?
  • What does Hale ask Proctor to do and why?
  • Explain the irony of Proctor’s forgotten commandment. (He forgets the one that is always on his mind because he committed it.)
  • What does Proctor confess? Do you think this will make a difference? Why or why not?
  • Who is charged at the end and why?
  • What is Miller’s purpose in this scene? (Rising action—things are getting worse. Rebecca Nurse is being charged with murder.)

Notes


  • The McCarthyism article and this scene pair well together because students can directly see the injustice that the accused is facing.
  • Elizabeth is clearly framed by Mary Warren.
  • This is a two-part lesson in that tomorrow students will see Proctor’s decision to go to court to save his wife.
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