The+Crucible+by+Arthur+Miller+(2.1+and+2.4)

=Added for next year ....=

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http://documentaryheaven.com/salem-witch-trial/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

=Don't forget that the title and its meaning(s) count(s) as a 'tool' or technique Miller uses.=

Miller's title, //The Crucible,// is appropriate for the play. A crucible is a container made of a substance that can resist great heat ; a crucible is also defined as a severe test. Within the context of the play the term takes on a new meaning: not only is the crucible a test, but a test designed to bring about change or reveal an individual's true character. The witch trials serve as a metaphorical crucible, which burns away the characters' outer shells to reveal their true intentions and character beneath. Throughout the play, Miller carefully peels away the layers of each character so that the audience not only can identify the character's motivation, but also can reevaluate the character through his or her actions. In other words, the audience observes the character as he or she is tested, and the audience ultimately determines if he or she passes the test.

Proctor provides an excellent example. His affair with Abigail results in a fall from grace, not only with his wife Elizabeth, but also within himself. Proctor believes he is damned and cannot possibly regain Elizabeth's love and respect, not to mention his own self-respect and moral uprightness. Proctor is tested severely when he goes to the court to defend Elizabeth. In order to save his wife, he must publicly announce his sin and, therefore, lose his good name. Although he gives up his good name in court, he regains it at the end of the play by destroying his signed confession. The audience watches Proctor as the play progresses and judges his actions according to his motivations and reactions to the various "tests" through which he passes.

For more, go to http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/the-crucible/about.html

=Don't understand McCarthyism? WANT A SOLID BASE FROM WHICH TO LAUNCH YOUR EXCELLENCE ANSWER? READ THIS!=

"Mass hysteria has reared its ugly head for as long as humans have existed. Adolf Hitler worked enough people into a frenzy to justify the murder of millions of Jews. Jesus Christ, known by all as peaceful, if controversial, was brutally nailed to a cross because a few high-ranking officials felt threatened by him. Although one would hope that people would learn a lesson or two from the mistakes of the past, it seems that history, as the old cliché goes, is forever doomed to repeat itself. Enter Senator Joseph McCarthy. While he may not have caused genocide or murdered a prophet, he was able to whip up hysteria in America in the early 1950s. McCarthy's issue of choice?**Communism**. The [|American Heritage Dictionary] defines McCarthyism as "the political practice of publicizing accusations of disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence." Communism, in simple terms, is an economic system designed to equally benefit everyone in the society. The idea is that everyone contributes to the society and gets an equal share of property and goods. Communist systems are generally controlled by dictators and totalitarian governments -- think [|China], [|Cuba] and [|North Korea]. By the '50s, communism wasn't exactly a new worry for the [|United States]. In the aftermath of World War I, the country had experienced the First Red Scare ("red" is slang for communism). [|Russia] had a new communist government as a result of the **Bolshevik Revolution** in 1917, and dictator Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) had brutally slaughtered about 9 million of his people for resisting his ideals [source: [|The History Guide] ]. All of this upheaval upset Americans, so lawmakers decided to prevent the spread of communism to the United States by enforcing the Sedition Act and the Espionage Act. The First Red Scare was characterized by the ferocity with which the U.S. government identified and attacked suspected communists. By the time McCarthy won a Senate seat in 1946, [|World War II] was over and the [|Cold War] was beginning. Communist governments had gained hold in Eastern [|Europe] and China, and Americans were increasingly concerned about it -- and about rumors of high-ranking U.S. government officials who were secret communists. McCarthy took advantage of the mounting fear, but because it isn't actually illegal to be a communist, he started charging people with the act of **subversion** -- the "systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working from within" [source: [|Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law] ]. Then he got to work prosecuting them for selling or giving American security secrets to communist governments. In this article, you'll learn about the basics of communism, McCarthy's interview tactics, and recent evidence about the communist presence in the United States at the time of McCarthyism. You'll also learn about the impact of McCarthy's accusations on the lives of the accused, the country as a whole and his own family name.­"

**TO KEEP READING, VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK.** []

The Magic Sentence for __The Crucible__


=Okay, so now, you REVISE!=

__Revision for Tuesday 16 October__

Today we looked at SETTING and STRUCTURE in __The Crucible.__ I have attached the work that was up on the whiteboard, with the tasks you should complete for revision.



__Revision for Monday 15 October__

KNOW YOUR QUOTES. Evidence is REALLY important. Here is a link to the SPARKNOTES page on quotes in __The Crucible__. [|http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/quotes.html#explanation1]

There are also quotes below from the script AND from the time that you could use (scroll down the page and look for 'quotes').

Another way of remembering quotes is thinking about why they are important (and, of course, who said them!)



Characters are really important. Here are some guide questions to help you understand the main characters in __The Crucible__.



Here is a (low) Excellence exemplar on __The Crucible__ written under exam conditions.



=WONDERING ABOUT THAT 'TOOLBOX' WHEN IT COMES TO __THE CRUCIBLE__?= Have a look at the techniques that are discussed on this page. Should come with a disclaimer - this is likely to be VERY HELPFUL!!!!!

http://suite101.com/article/the-crucible-by-arthur-miller-a310773

REVISION ACTIVITIES
THEMES ARE IMPORTANT. These are the big ideas that Miller is trying to get across. We started this one in class.



CHARACTERS ARE IMPORTANT. These people are the vehicles for Miller's ideas. Here is a character sheet to fill in - you should find quotes that represent the given quality of the character.



LOOK OVER EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE, YOUR NOTES AND WRITE PRACTISE ESSAYS THAT I CAN MARK FOR YOU.

=HOW TO WRITE AN EXAM ESSAY=

Here is a step-by-step guide to writing an exam essay. YOU CAN DO IT! With your practise essay, give yourself ONE HOUR ONLY. That way you are practising time management as you will need to in the exam, and it means you are more likely to do it.



PRACTISE IS IMPORTANT. Choose ONE of the questions from the page of questions given out in class and answer one using the essay structure we have discussed. Here are the questions if you need them.

= = = = = = =The Crucible by Arthur Miller=

This is the page for the play **//The Crucible//** by Arthur Miller. We are studying this play as a written text choice for the 2.1 external **91098** **Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), supported by evidence,** which is worth 4 credits. In addition, the play is a starting point for one piece in our writing portfolio **91101** **Produce a selection of crafted and controlled writing,** which is worth 6 credits.

This is the guide I gave you at the start of the play to explore your thoughts on issues of morality and justice.
 * Anticipation Guide**

Here is some information on the background of **//The Crucible.//**
 * Background**

Here is a review of Act 1.
 * Act I Review**

Quotes to note from Act III.
 * Quotes from Act III**

Quotes ranging from Socrates to Shakespeare.
 * Philosophical Quotes that relate to Miller's Themes**


 * Why Arthur Miller named the play //The Crucible//**


 * Websites of interest**

http://www.shmoop.com/crucible/ is a great site for anything to do with //The Crucible.//

__**60 Second Recaps**__
Here are a series of minute long recaps covering the basics of //The Crucible//. Very worthwhile, especially if you feel that you still don't 'get' it.

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