The Crucible And Mccarthyism Essay, Research Paper

Many times it has been said that if people learn organize their errors they are doomed to reiterate them. Such is the instance throughout history. There are many different illustrations of this, but one illustration is the blazing similarities between the enchantress Hunts in Salem Massachusetts and the epoch of McCarthyism. When looking at either one of theses events individually it is difficult to believe that they could hold really happened, non merely one time but, twice. If one takes the clip to look at both events at the same time they are able to do many comparings and enable legion similarities be seen. In The Crucible Miller creates an analogy of the enchantress Hunts in Salem to the probe of Communists by Joseph McCarthy.

One of the many resemblance & # 8217 ; s that can be clearly seen is the manner in which each of event, McCarthyism and the Salem enchantress Hunts, had the ability to destroy a individuals life through a simple accusal. An illustration of this is really apparent in The Crucible. The character of John Proctor is accused of partaking in the offense of witchery. When it comes clip to squeal, he knows that squealing will salvage his physical life, but at the same clip it will destroy his repute. He said & # 8220 ; Why must it be written? Why must I state it? & # 8221 ; ( Miller 138, 140 ) . Proctor knows that his confession will be posted onto the church wall for all to see. This is why he ends up rupturing the confessions. If it were seen by anyone in the community John Proctor & # 8217 ; s repute would be tarnished to the point where he could no longer demo his face in Salem. He therefore chooses decease over humiliation. A correspondence of this can be seen in the epoch of McCarthyism. If one was accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy of being a Communist their lives were ruined. This procedure became known as blacklisting. President Truman one time said & # 8220 ; Character blackwash is their stock in trade. & # 8221 ; ( Recently 229 ) . This shows how those accused of communism had their lives taken off from them. Whether it be an accusal of witchery or communism, both have led to the laying waste of guiltless peoples lives.

One of the many other resemblance & # 8217 ; s that can be seen between McCarthyism and The Crucible is the inquiries that were asked of those that were accused, and what they were required to make in order to salvage their repute. In The Crucible those that were accused of witchery were frequently asked to declaim the 10 commandments. When John Proctor was being accused he was asked to declaim the 10 commandment by Reverend Hale, & # 8220 ; Let you reiterate them, if you will. [ Proctor: ] The commandment? & # 8221 ; ( Miller 66 ) . Another happening of this besides appears in The Crucible when Sarah Good was standing test. She was asked by justice Hathorne to & # 8220 ; Recite for us your commandments. & # 8221 ; ( Miller 58 ) . Suspects of witchery were asked to declaim their commandments

in order to demo the tribunals that their psyches were still with God instead than kiping with the Devil. A contemplation of this can be seen when looking at the people that fell victim to the accusals of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Those that had been accused of being portion of, or loyal to, the Communist party were frequently required to declaim a pledge that would province their trueness to their ain state. “Many employees, to maintain their occupations, were required to take an curse of trueness to the government” ( World Book ) . To turn out your artlessness after an accusal of either witchery of communism you were frequently times required to declaim some kind of pledge. This pledge normally showed others that you were loyal to God and Country.

Another comparing between the enchantress Hunts in Salem and McCarthy & # 8217 ; s Hunt for Communist can besides be constructed. During each of the events it is clearly seen that people came to the realisation that all the craze came at a great cost ; a cost that need non be paid. In The Crucible the individual that first comes to this realisation id Reverend Hale. & # 8220 ; Why it is simple. I come to make the Devil & # 8217 ; s work. I come to advocate Christians they should contradict themselves & # 8221 ; ( Miller 131 ) . This displays the compunction and understanding that Hale began to experience for the guiltless people that had been imprisoned due to the false accusals that were made by the immature misss. Throughout McCarthyism many people felt this compunction and understanding for those that were falsely accused, but many people were to afraid to voice their sentiments and show the compunction that they felt. One of the few people that said what they felt about McCarthy and McCarthyism was President Truman. He was quoted as stating & # 8221 ; Rise up and set a halt to this awful concern Take the lead against the craze that threatens the authorities from within. & # 8221 ; ( Recently 228 ) . This displays Truman & # 8217 ; s name for aid in disenabling the anti-Communist Joseph McCarthy. Within both the Salem enchantress Hunts and the anti-Communist motion there is a ocular mark of understanding that finally led to the terminal of each several event.

While looking throughout history it is possible to retrace events and see where society has repeated their errors. Two of these events that are different in some ways, but similar in more, are the enchantress hunts that took topographic point in Salem during 1692 and the epoch of McCarthyism brought on by an anti-Communist motion led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Among the many similarities between the two events are the manner in which it effected the lives of those who participated, the oppugning that was brought upon the people that were accused, and the mode in which each event came to an terminal through the realisation of how unneeded it truly was. The Crucible by Arthur Miller does an first-class occupation of making the analogy between the two, really separate, events.

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