Week 4 Homework

I never liked her for sure. I mean she called Atticus names and said he wasn't any good than the negros, or whatever she liked to called them. Mrs Dubose was always such a crooked woman, never did any good of me and Scout for sure, just shouted at us all the time. But then Atticus told us she died today. To be honest, I don't know, I guess I was kind of glad to not have to listen to her ugly voice anymore. But then Atticus told us something and well, now I feel bad. Atticus says that she had some addiction - to morphine. He said that's why she was having her scary fits and all the medicine. He said she knew she was going to die, wanted to leave the world 'beholden to nothing'. So she promised herself that she would detach herself from the morphine, and thats why she wanted me to read to her, and all the alarm clocks and stuff. And now Atticus shows me this camellia, I thought it was horrible, the way she gave me something from her annoying garden. Now, I think it looks pretty I guess. From what Atticus tells me, I guess she wasn't such a bad lady as I thought.

Atticus' Journal

Miss Maudie's house caught on fire today. No one has been telling me what caused it, but poor Miss Maudie was so shaken, can't exactly blame her. I had to take Scout and Jem out of the house with me, helped the town people to save the furniture of Miss Maudie while Scout and Jem watched further away. I walked over to Scout when the fire truck arrives, not fast enough I'd say, the house was burnt to look like nothing was left. Scout had a blanket draped over her, strange enough because I wasn't the one who gave it to her. Scout herself didn't even know who gave it to her, just said that before she knew it someone came over and dropped the blanket on her. Then Jem starts telling me about all these things they have done to make Boo Radley come out. At first I was horrified, I told them not to go near him and they shouldn't have, but then it doesn't seem like they were in much danger from what Jem tells me. Poor Scout starts to look like all the colour in her face has drained away after Jem rabbles on about their adventures with Boo Radley. Didn't want to believe it myself, the fact that it might've been Radley, but nothing is gonna convince Jem that it wasn't him. I told them to keep it to themselves, don't want the whole town noisy about all this Boo Radley trouble again, especially not with the kids.

Week 3 Homework PARK A

Part A: 


- Jem ran past the gate, quickly touched the Radley Place and came straight back out.
- They thought they say a slight flicker of the shutters in the window but nothing more.
- When the tyre hit the house, the kids thought they heard laughter.
- A shadow in the windows
- Chewing gum was stuck on to the Oak Tree in front of Radley Place.
- Different things appear in the Oak Tree that were not there before.

Crucible Definition

Crucible: 'A place or occasion of severe test or trial,' or a 'ceramic or metal container in which substances are melted at an extremely high temperature.'

I think that the title is appropriate to the play, especially relating to the theme of betrayal and loyalty. Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, tells us that human nature may result in betrayal or the proving of someone's loyalty in times or hardness and difficult trial. Therefore, I think that the title of the play is appropriate and relevant to the messages that are portrayed in the play.

In the play, Arthur Miller metaphorically illustrates a crucible throughout his play through themes presented by characters such as Abigail and the other girls accused of witchcraft. After Abigail threatens and blackmails the other girls to keep quiet about the fact that they were conjuring spirits and dancing in the woods, they slowly form and attach to each other to make a team, accusing innocent people and turning the blame on them with excellent teamwork. Although this may not be the best example of good teamwork, Miller still demonstrates one of the true sides to human nature. People, when facing 'severe test or trial', reveal what they are truly loyal to and what they consider most important to themselves. However, in contrast to this, the girls also show their lack of both sympathy and empathy, as they betray several people in order to save themselves. An example of this is the betrayal of Mary Warren to John Proctor. In the court, John Proctor does his best to save Mary, as she is being caught victim to the several lies of Abigail. However, when the situation turns against them, and Mary fears the worst, she, without hesitation, turns towards Abigail and says that she Proctor is the 'Devil's man' (Act 3, pg.104).

Week 6 Homework

The final and most important decision of John Proctor proves that he is a hero in the play, 'The Crucible'. A hero can be defined as one who does what is thought to be right, even if it goes against what the majority wants. John Proctor proves himself as a hero, especially towards to the end when he makes choices that cause him his life, but save several others. Proctor decides to not confess to witchcraft, accepting the fact that he will have to be hanged with others that are accused. When trying to find justice, he is not afraid to let himself be punished, as at one point he confesses to have had an affair with Abigail. He states, 'I have known her sir, I have known her' (p. 97). Upon being asked as to whether Rebecca Nurse had any connection with witchcraft to his knowledge, he refuses to say anything and states, 'I speak my own sins; I cannon judge another. I have no tongue for it' (p.123). The statement of Proctor shows that he thinks of others before himself, and will not do unjust actions, even if it means that he has to sacrifice his life, which he later does.

Week 5 Homework

John Proctor at first decides to confess to witchcraft and live, instead of being hanged like others who have failed to confess. After speaking to his wife, Elizabeth, he says that he will sign the confession. However, while signing the confession, he hesitates, especially when he sees that Rebecca Nurse is going to witness him signing the confession. When asked whether she will confess, Rebecca Nurse says, 'Why, it is a lie... I cannot, I cannot.' More reluctant after seeing the horror in Rebecca's eyes, John finally refuses to sign the confession. He says, 'Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another one in my life... I have given you my should, leave me my name!' Through this quote, you can see that John is desperate in at least keeping his name clean and good, as his reputation once was.

Week 4 Homework Part 2

In her heart, Elizabeth would like for John to confess and save himself. However, she knows and trusts that he is a good man at heart and would not live to tell lies and feel guilt for the rest of his life. She knows that her opinion will not change his mind and what he thinks, and so she trusts him to choose on his own and decide what is best for him. She also trusts that his decision will be the right thing to do, even if she does not like it.

Week 4 Homework

Elizabeth: You say that I bear no wifely tenderness within myself. That I am stone, but yet I love my husband as much as any good wife would love their husbands. John is a good and righteous man, and I trust him enough to take care of himself without my care. I will not speak what is not true when surely my good husband can save himself if he thinks of it. I proceed with what he thinks is right, and if John does not think to save himself, then neither can I.

Term 2 Homework No.2

To me, it seems that Arthur Miller has somewhat a belief that the idea of devil/evil spirits is all in accordance to society's view of the good and bad. The passage mainly talks of how the Devil is portrayed in society, and society's view regarding the Devil. Miller himself believes that a connection with devilish spirits in Salem did indeed happen, as he says, "I have no doubt that people were communing with, and even worshipping, the Devil in Salem, and if the whole truth could be known in this case, as it is in others, we should discover a regular and conventionalised propitiation of the dark spirit." Arthur Miller goes on to list the different examples of proof regarding the practice of witch-craft and connections with the Devil. However, the passage does seem to present a view point in which this may all be close to imagination. He states, "it is as impossible for most men to conceive of a morality without sin as of an earth without sky." Continuing, he says, "the concept of unity, in which positive and negative are attributes of the same force, in which good and evil are relative, ever-changing, and always joined to the same phenomenon - such a concept is still reserved to the physical sciences and to the few who have grasped the history of ideas." He claims that society needs the Devil in order to make an excuse for anything opposing the good. "Ours is a divided empire in which certain ideas and emotion and actions are of God, and their opposites are of Lucifer."

Homework Task

Positive:

A character I respond to positively is John Proctor. This is because as the audience, I see him as one who seeks the good way in everything and wants to live in justice. When Abigail talks to John Proctor and speaks about their affair, Proctor, now a married man seeks to do the right thing and rejects her. He says, “Abby, you’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be comin’ for you more”.  

Negative:

Abigail is a character in the play to which I respond negatively. The main reason as to why I respond this way is because how the text has portrayed her personality and her characterization. The play presents her as a liar; fearful of the consequences of the choices she has made to be involved in witchcraft. She continuously denies her involvement, saying, “Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it – and I’ll be whipped if I must be. But they’re speakin’ of witchcraft. Betty’s not witched”. As the audience, we know that her statement is false, and that they did conjure up spells and use witchcraft. Throughout the play she keeps on lying and ends up accusing innocent people.