Reflection: The Crucible (Act Four)

I think is is so interesting to see the effect of this big scandal in Salem.  People go off accusing people of witchcraft, lying here and there making much bigger problems than there ever were to begin with (Miller 48).  Can you imagine that is entire story spiraled and started from the simple fact that innocent young girls were messing around, having fun, and dancing in the woods.  I think this is a little dramatic.  I guess that would be a characteristic of Puritans.  They have a thing for the dramatic.  They are lying and making things up, and some of them are probably doing it because their lives are just plain boring and they need something to spice it up a bit.  Its interesting to see the affects of the trials and the arrests.  The people are either in jail or going to the trials to watch the accused in fear of being accused themselves.  The produce is declining because there is no one farming the now rotting crops.  The cattle is going astray with the un kept houses which have basically turned to trash due to no one being around or caring enough to keep up with any of it.  I think what the court did to Giles was so shameful and obviously not very logical which kind of relates to "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" because the church was not too logical with the humanity their persuasions gave off.  Crushing his chest with stones, has to be so torturous(Miller 50). But, i have to say, the personality Giles emits and puts forth is really awesome. Saying to put more weight on in his dying breath shows his love and dignity for his family(Miller 52).  Of course he wanted the best for his family and i believe he is the only one with the truest, and most selfless characteristics in the entire play. I think the whole system of guilty or not guilty is kind of messed up.  Kind of like the way the church tried to scare the people saying that they are all possibly sinners and basically are going to burn in Hell in  "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The only way they survive is if they plead guilty and they are put in jail for their entire lives.  If they do not enter plea they are tortured and crushed until they confess or die.  And if they plead not guilty, they are hanged.  It looks like no good answer is right in the eyes of these puritan leaders.  When religion tries to work the laws, it never seems to work out to well.  Like when the Roman Catholic Church ruled at one time (I believe) that did not seem to end well. I think puritans need to get a grip and start thinking a little more logically before they kill and accuse their entire population they brought over seas.  Who are they planning to have left, one leader.  Then what is he going to do? Farm everything, live off the land and end up captivated my American Indians. I think not.  Use your mind people...


Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.


Edwards, Jonathan. "From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.