Crucible essay

            The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, took place in a town called Salem, Massachusetts. Where rumors are started intentionally to get power and by mistake. Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and John Proctor are all held responsible for the trials that took so many innocent lives. Abby intentionally caused these trials to happen for power and love. Mary was the key who could of stopped it all, but didn’t have a brain of her own. John could have prevented those innocent peoples lives from being taken, if he’d only said something sooner. All of them had some sort of part in the story that cause the lives of others to be taken.

            Abigail is the niece of the towns priest. Basically this entire thing was caused because she couldn’t get what she wanted, which was John Proctor. She drinks chicken blood to kill John’s wife. She has other towns girls helping her pretend as there are witches in the town. If they see Abby pretending that she sees a witch or someones spirit they quickly join in. Abby is a very clever girl that turned the town of Salem inside out. "... I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I... will shudder you"(20). She stabs herself with a needle and leaves it in her side of half of a day then she tells the judges that Elizabeth sent her spirit to attack her. Abby will do just about anything to be with John. She practically throws herself at him when ever he is around. Like when she tells him that they were just messing around when she and the other girls were in the woods.

            Mary is faulted because she can’t think for herself, she needs to be told what to do. She tries to use some of the power that she gained on John, but she isn't a leader like John and she quickly crumbles under his power. John's a leader and Mary is nothing but a follower. That’s why Abby and Proctor both use and control her. If she would have had a brain for herself then she might have had been able to stop it from happening. All she had to say was that her and the other girls were following behind Abby. That they were pretending to see certain people with the devil, people sending their spirits out attacking them, and people signing their names in the devils book in their blood. She wanted to keep some of the power that she had instead of giving it up for people's lives.

            John Proctor is held accountable because when he should have been taking care of his wife he was have an affair with Abby. "Abby I may think of you softly from time to time"(23)So when he was busy trying to get back on  his wife's good side that he didn't noticed that the town was being corrupted by teenagers. .He found out late, but when he found out he really didn’t want to get involved. He had no proof  that Abby was guilty, he only had his word. Which wouldn't have got him anywhere because too  many people where looking up to the girls by then. Once his wife name was mentioned he was automatically pulled into this horrific situation and tried to do everything that was needed to stop his wife from being killed.  He eventually gets Mary to confess that her and the others were acting.  Then Abby accuses her she quickly moves the blame from her to John. Then she causes him to die too. He did admit to being a witch but then he change his story once again. He decided to die silent death.

            The Salem Witch Trials was a dreadful point in time. So many innocent life's where taken. Family, friends, and neighbors all gone because someone accused them of being a witch.Three people could of stopped that from happening. Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and John Proctor are those three people. Abby craving power and attention for and from everyone. Mary for being a follower and wanting a little bit of power. John, not speaking up and staying silent until the last moment.