That’s right… things are going to “heat up”!Ah… that’s a metaphorical title!

A work with TWO levels of meaning – literal and symbolic.

Purpose may be to convey truths about real life or teach a lesson or point out injustice.

So means one thing literally, symbolizes something else.

Ever see Avatar? Xmen?The Matrix?

6 groups – 3 scenarios, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3bStep one: write your opinion/respond on your

own. You have 10 minutes.Step two: Get with your group and discuss

your decisions. You will present your answers to the rest of the class.

1. Manager – keep everyone on task2. Timekeeper – keep an eye on the clock3. Record Keeper – write down the variety of

answers4. Speaker – will present to the class5. Bouncer – keep the discussions civil6. Equalizer (make sure everyone talks, no 1

person dominates!) (COMBINE ROLES IF NEEDED – write names

of group members and roles on your record keeper’s notes!)

What is “mob mentality”? What are some examples you can think of?

What fuels a mob?Please tell me you’ve seen Monty Python and

the Holy Grail

Arthur MillerTakes inspiration from REAL life to come up with fictional play.

What did you read?

Senator Joseph McCarthy (Wisconsin) was a U.S. Senator from 1946-1957 (when he died). He burst on the scene in 1950, stating Communists worked in the State Dept. During the next 3 years, he charged many with subversive activities and labeled them “Communists”. Many equated it to a witch hunt.

He was eventually challenged and his ruthless tactics and questionable motives were revealed. He was censured by the Senate & his influence declined.

McCarthyism: the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, especially of pro-Communist activity, in many instances unsupported by proof or based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.

Communism: A system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state, dominated by a single & self-perpetuating political party.

Cold War: A state of political tension that stops short of full-scale war. Rivalry after World War II between the Soviet Union and its satellites and the democratic countries of the Western world, under the leadership of the U.S.

A Red: CommunistRed Scare: Widespread fears of Communist

influence on U.S. society and Communist infiltration of the U.S. government

Blacklisted: A list of persons or organizations that have incurred disapproval or suspicion or are to be boycotted or otherwise penalized.

Yellow: cowardlyPinko: Communist sympathizer

Subtext (ya know.. Those directions?)Those are important to your reading and

comprehension. Don’t skip over!Draw a picture of the characters in your

head.This is why you hear “The book was soooo

much better than the movie!”

Review: protagonist/antagonistTragedy/comedyExposition/rising action/climax/falling

action/resolutionMonologue: long speech by a single character

to audience or another char.Soliloquy: reflective speech where character

speaks his/her private thoughts aloud, but other char’s don’t hear it. (Shakespeare!)

Aside: short speech or comment that is delivered by a character to the audience but is not heard by the other char’s who are present.

Motivation is key in drama – what motivates the character’s behavior. Think of yourself, in that person’s body, in that period of time and try to understand what makes a character do what he/she does.

Think: what’s motivating ppl in Crucible?

Conditions in Salem, MAFear

Real: Native AmericansElements, lots of death 50% birth mortality rate.

Hard Work: harsh weather, disease

Other settlers: being killed by others for religious reasons

IMAGINARY: GhostsDevilWitchesAll are used to explain the

“unexplained”(How is Mrs. Putnam the best example of this?)

Hard-fisted ruleSevere punishments (including corporal punishment)

Lead a “pure” life – no dancing, drinkingAbide by the 10 Commandments

IsolatedBordered by forestOnly about 40 years old in 1692 (new)No books, little educationMany lost relatives to “heathens” (N.Am’s)Separated from Jamestown for religious

independence.Ships out products of value

Focus on the characters – who is motivated by WHAT?

Jot down what you know about the characters, details in your notes and study guides as we move through the play.

Proctor vs. ParrisPutnam vs. Parris Putnam vs. Proctor Ann Putnam vs. Rebecca Nurse Proctor vs. Abigail Elizabeth vs. Proctor

How do you see the beginnings of hysteria? What fuels a mob?Please tell me you’ve seen Monty Python and

the Holy Grail

What conclusions can you draw about Abigail’s character?

How are the neighbors getting along in this town? Who’s got “beef” with whom?

Rev. Parris – describe him. Why hesitant to say “witchcraft”?

Who is Tituba? Why do they blame her? What is a scapegoat?

Who is Rev. Hale?

How does Abigail react to John calling her a child? (FYI – watch how Abigail acts depending on who is there/situation)

Why does John not go to church?Who is Rebecca Nurse? Giles Corey?What’s Rebecca’s take on the girls’ sickness?

What motivates these characters to behave how they do?Rev. Parris?Abigail?Hale?Mr. Putnam?Mrs. Putnam? (first mentions witchcraft!!!!)Betty and Ruth?

CHOICE: Read alone or with a partner or with your table (yes, you can move around the room).

Question to Consider: What influence did McCarthy and the Red Scare have on Arthur Miller and his writings?

What is a red herring? (Look up!)Be ready to reconvene for a Focus Q in

10-15 minutes.

CHOICE: Read alone or with a partner or with your table (yes, you can move around the room).

Question to Consider: What influence did McCarthy and the Red Scare have on Arthur Miller and his writings?

What is a red herring? (Look up!)

Description of Red HerringTopic A is under discussion. Topic B is introduced under the guise of

being relevant to topic A (when topic B is actually not relevant to topic A).

Topic A is abandoned. The student dress code is strict, but

because there are so many other discipline issues, we should abandon dress code

Should Elizabeth forgive John for his affair? I mean, it’s been 7 months!

What do the people in town think of Abigail?Allusion – “…where she walks the crowd will

part like the sea for Israel” p. 166How does power affect Mary Warren?Why is John Proctor hesitant to testify in court

about Abigail’s private admission that the girls’ sickness had nothing to do with witchcraft?

What is motivating Mary Warren?Why were Sarah Good & Sarah Osbourne

easy targets?Who is Ezekiel Cheever?Why is Hale being so stubborn about

believing this fake?Why is John forcing Mary to go to court? How

has Abigail taken this to the next level?

Is Elizabeth right to continue to mistrust John even though his affair with Abigail has been over for seven months? Or is John right in believing that by now Elizabeth should have forgiven and forgotten his affair with Abigail and come to trust him again? Choose to support either Elizabeth’s or John’s viewpoint in your answer.

Answer Plan: 1. Restate the question into a topic sentence, taking a position. 2. Cite TWO reasons, backing up reasoning with textual

evidence from the play. 3. Conclude your paragraph by not merely repeating

information.

Judge Hathorne (FYI.. American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne was a descendent).

Why does Francis Nurse fear he has brought trouble to the 91 people who signed their names to the document presented in court?

What problems does Mary Warren’s testimony create for the court?

What change are you seeing in Rev. Hale?

Why is Giles Corey in contempt of court?Why does John Proctor say “God is dead”?The real Abigail was 11 or 12 years old in

1692 and no evidence of an affair (ew!). Why did Arthur Miller put this in? How would the play be different?

Why did John Proctor disclose his affair with Abigail?

Answer Plan1. Restate the question.2. Write a number of sentences that detail

what John hoped to achieve by disclosing the affair.

3. Conclude by giving your opinion of his decision.

The beginning is different from the movie: see the jail. Why are the women acting this way? The scene w/John in jail did not happen in the play.

What became of Abigail?Both Parris and Hale ask Danforth to

postpone the executions, but their reasons for wanting a postponement are vastly different. What motivates each one?

After the shift in “evidence”, why does Danforth STILL not stay the executions?

John will confess, but what will he NOT do? Why?

What are the themes in the play?

How is The Crucible still relevant today?Answer PlanYou develop!