A close focus on act III of The Crucible Essay Example for Free

A close focus on act III of The Crucible Essay The play, The crucible, shows how people react to mass hysteria caused by a group of people, as people did during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. The House un-American activities committee searched for communist sympathisers because they were felt to be a threat to the state. Many Americans were wrongly accused of being communist sympathisers and were convicted and sentenced without any real evidence of them having committed a crime. Mere suspicion was classed as evidence. And like the during the witch hunts, anyone who spoke out was accused which made defending yourself a death wish. This is how McCarthyism was linked with the witch-hunts that had taken place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The title of the play describes exactly what was happening at the time of the witch-hunts. A crucible is a container in which metals are heated to extracted the pure element from impurities, and crucible is another word for a cauldron that witches use to brew their magic potions in. So the word crucible could metaphorically be used to explain how the activities in Salem were like a potion brewing in a cauldron with the potion being mixed to separate the witches (impurities) from the good, god-loving citizens (element). The opening scene of the play shows the girls dancing in the woods around a cauldron, they are spotted by Parris who also sees that one of them is naked.  The people of Salem were Puritans and so dancing was perceived as a sin.  The morning after the dancing, two of the youngest girls cannot wake from bed. A doctor is called to help the girls but he cannot diagnose what is wrong with them or how they can be helped, His only advice is to look to the unnatural. The girls do not confess to their activities until Parris confronts them. Abigail says all that they did was dance and strongly denies that any of them were naked, Uncle, we did dance. There is nothin more. I swear it, uncle. Mrs Putnam, the mother of the other ill child, believes that her daughter Ruth and Parriss daughter Bettys illnesses are caused by the devil. Parris calls for Hale who is an expert on demonic arts  Parris is the minister of the Village, much to the Putnams dismay. Mr Putnams brother was in competition with Parris for the position of minister and so the Putnams have a grudge against not only Parris, but the Nurse family who prevented him from being minister and many of there neighbours for various reasons. Especially with Giles Corey who has worked out that the Putnams will do anything to get their hands on other peoples land, This man is killing his neighbours for their land! John Proctor also has a grudge against Parris. Hale arrives in Salem, He is a confident and well education young man who believes he has all the answers. As he is examining Betty Giles Corey distracts him by asking him questions about his wife. Giles says that his wife reads strange books whilst they are in bed and while she is reading, he cannot pray. Hale carries on trying to help Betty with little effect. Parris tells Hale that he thinks he saw a kettle in the grass with the girls in the wood with something moving inside it. Hale questions Abigail but she denies that she drank blood and called the devil. Abigail then realises that if the truth is found out she will get in a lot of trouble and so she passes the blame onto Tituba, Parriss black slave, by saying that Tituba forced her to drink blood and even blames her wicked dreams on the slave. Tituba confesses to save herself from being hung. She mentions four peoples names that she supposedly saw with the devil. Abigail mentions more and more names and then the rest of the girls join in, mentioning the names of anyone they hate, have a grudge against or just dislike. As the girls cried out more names, the hysteria began to grow.  By accusing others of witchcraft they are diverting attention away from their original misdemeanours. We can see that the Proctors relationship is not very strong, they make petty small talk over dinner and dont appear to be happy together. One reason for this may be that Elizabeth has not forgiven John for having an affair with Abigail whilst she was ill.  Whilst Mary was at court with the other girls where people were being tried for witchcraft she made a poppet for Elizabeth. Abigail was sitting next to Mary whilst she made it. By now 39 women had been arrested and Goody Osborn was sentenced to hanging.  Mary, who had always been a very shy, timid girl was now becoming very easily led along by Abigail and just as confused between fact and fantasy as the other girls and. This is apparent when she tells the Proctors that Sarah Good had confessed to having made contact with Lucifer, and that Sarah Goods spirit tried to choke her in the courtroom. Mary then speaks of even more fantasy when she says that terrible stomach pains had been inflicted upon her when she had turned the old woman away whilst she was begging. Mary also accused the old woman of mumbling a spell to her, but Sarah Good claimed it was not a spell, it were her commandments. The court asked her to repeat the commandments, but she could not.

Ernest Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky :: Biography Biographies Essays

Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky Hemingway's World War I experiences were the source of much of the legend that later surrounded him. Brave and masculine, he was the writer who really got out there and experienced everything. Wounded in the trenches, decorated for his valour, he then threw himself into a wartime romance with the nurse who was responsible for bringing him back to health, his first love, who later jilted him for an older, aristocratic, man. This report will examine the background to these myths and assess their veracity. It was not long after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 that 17 year-old Hemingway, not yet finished high school, first expressed an interest in seeing some action. However his father, keen for him to follow his sister to college, settled for a compromise that saw his brother fix young Ernest up with a job in the Kansas City Star. That November, he told his family that he could not possibly wait more than another year before enlisting, saying "it will be hard enough to stay out until then". Biographer Kenneth S. Lynn argues that for the young Hemingway, the war was like a championship football game, a huge event not to be missed.1 Hemingway's letters of that winter contain references to him attempting to join the army but being refused because of a bad eye. Nobody has been able to find any evidence that such a claim is true. Lynn points to the likely falsity of the claim by mentioning the fact that Harry Truman, who was helpless without his glasses, got past the same army doctors in Kansas City that Hemingway would have had to deal with, and suggests that the prospect of squalor and danger in the trenches did not accord with Hemingway's vision of the great event of his time. At the same time, his reading of Hugh Walpole's The Dark Forest the previous year made him aware of another, heroic, and far less dangerous way of seeing the war - the Red Cross. Ernest and his friend Ted Brumback volunteered for the Red Cross in early January and in April they were assigned as second lieutenants in an ambulance unit in Italy. They were issued a regular US Army officer's uniform with full insignia, and Ernest made the most of the fact that real army privates and non-commissioned officers had to salute him, in one instance counting 367 salutes as he walked up and down Broadway. Ernest Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky :: Biography Biographies Essays Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky Hemingway's World War I experiences were the source of much of the legend that later surrounded him. Brave and masculine, he was the writer who really got out there and experienced everything. Wounded in the trenches, decorated for his valour, he then threw himself into a wartime romance with the nurse who was responsible for bringing him back to health, his first love, who later jilted him for an older, aristocratic, man. This report will examine the background to these myths and assess their veracity. It was not long after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 that 17 year-old Hemingway, not yet finished high school, first expressed an interest in seeing some action. However his father, keen for him to follow his sister to college, settled for a compromise that saw his brother fix young Ernest up with a job in the Kansas City Star. That November, he told his family that he could not possibly wait more than another year before enlisting, saying "it will be hard enough to stay out until then". Biographer Kenneth S. Lynn argues that for the young Hemingway, the war was like a championship football game, a huge event not to be missed.1 Hemingway's letters of that winter contain references to him attempting to join the army but being refused because of a bad eye. Nobody has been able to find any evidence that such a claim is true. Lynn points to the likely falsity of the claim by mentioning the fact that Harry Truman, who was helpless without his glasses, got past the same army doctors in Kansas City that Hemingway would have had to deal with, and suggests that the prospect of squalor and danger in the trenches did not accord with Hemingway's vision of the great event of his time. At the same time, his reading of Hugh Walpole's The Dark Forest the previous year made him aware of another, heroic, and far less dangerous way of seeing the war - the Red Cross. Ernest and his friend Ted Brumback volunteered for the Red Cross in early January and in April they were assigned as second lieutenants in an ambulance unit in Italy. They were issued a regular US Army officer's uniform with full insignia, and Ernest made the most of the fact that real army privates and non-commissioned officers had to salute him, in one instance counting 367 salutes as he walked up and down Broadway.

Concept of Love Essay

Love is a complex emotion of attachment and sometimes obsession. It cannot be classified so easily, though; it cannot be stuffed into a social concept and left there. Some people search for what seems their whole lifetime for love, whereas others may seem to fall in and out of love on a regular basis. Of course, people can love many things, but the love between two people is unique and special. It is a feeling of trust and wholeness. Love is rarely defined because everyone experiences it differently. What one person thinks is love, another may think is craze or vice versa. How does one know he or she is in love? How is it possible to distinguish between the love of romance and the love shared between friends? In order to understand love, people need to first understand the two major types of love which can be described as romantic love and friendship love. People often define romantic love based on its difference from friendship love. Would you kiss your best friend? Perhaps, but it is not necessarily the things you do with your romantic partner that makes your love spark. Romantic lovers are usually on each other’s minds all the time. Couples make large life decisions based on their romantic partners because they cannot imagine life without those people. Romantic love guides a person’s mind and can sometimes cloud it as to what the right decisions might be. After all, romantic love can be extremely selfless. Friendship love can often turn into romantic love, as it has many times throughout history, but the birth of romantic love between friends will often kill the love of friendship. In other words, friends who become romantic lovers rarely can go back to being â€Å"just friends. Why is it that romantic love is so overpowering? The love of friendship can be very strong, but it is the emotional intensity of romantic love that forever changes the simplicity of the love between friends. Friendship love does not have all the same guidelines that romantic love seems to have. Each friend couple may have a unique kind of love between each other. Friendship love is best described as a warm feeling between people. Girlfriends may have different friendship love for each other than a male and female friend pair may have; the same for male friends. Male and Female friends may sometimes undergo a lot of pressure from other friends and family to turn their friendship love into romantic love, which doesn’t always work. There is a line that friends may cross over, and to know that line is to know the difference between romantic and friendship love. Friends have complete trust for someone and naturally want to be around him/her. People who love each other want to make each other happy; they want to be there as confidants, helpers, and company. Friendship love is often compared to the love between siblings as well. In many cases, a sibling is just as good a friend as any. Society will not accept romantic love between relatives, but friendship love is encouraged and an amazing aspect to have. Everybody experiences love in a different way and may not agree with the concepts that it is dealt with. In the end, it does not matter whether or not the kind of love someone feels fits into any category. Love is personal, and the important thing is, is that it makes people happy and feels cared for. Whether people have romantic or friendship love, love is meant to mean that it is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment, and a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection.

Symbolism and Irony Used in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of...

Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism and irony in unison throughout â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† to demonstrate Montresor’s villainous intentions. As the narrator, Montresor explains that although a friend named Fortunato has insulted him and deserves to be avenged. However, he has hidden his goal from Fortunato, giving no â€Å"cause to doubt [his] good will.† Montresor, aware of Fortunato’s influence, knows he must â€Å"not only punish, but punish with impunity.† Instead, he lures Fortunato to his grave with the promise of fine wine. The victim’s name, Fortunato, meaning â€Å"fortunate,† is ironic as he proves to be an unsuspecting and quite unfortunate character. Fortunato’s apparel, a motley outfit and bells on his head, ironically portrays the fool Montresor ultimately makes of him in his wicked plan. Upon meeting at the carnival, symbolic of a joyous and lively event, Montresor finds himself gleaming with delight at Fortunato’s intoxication, saying â€Å"my dear Fortunato, you are luckily met.† To this Fortunato assumed friendship and acceptance. Rather, Montresor is merely excited only because he can now accomplish his murderous revenge on his unsuspecting victim. Additionally, the word â€Å"lucky† refers to the meaning of Fortunato’s name, but also ironically to the man’s eventual horrific fate. When the two pushed further into the vaults, Fortunato had reoccurring cough attacks, one of which Montresor warns â€Å"go back; your health is precious. You are respected, admired, beloved; you areShow MoreRelatedThe Theme of Revenge in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Essay1629 Words   |  7 PagesEdgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the storyRead MoreThe Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe836 Words   |  3 Pages Symbolism is the use of objects to represent ideas or quali ties in the story. In the story many things are used as symbols such as the actual cask of amontillado, the trowel, the jester costume and the setting in which there is two in the story. Another literary technique used significantly in the story is irony. Irony is the expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. In the short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Montresor a very troubled manRead MoreThe Casket Of Amontillado . Edgar Allan Poe’S â€Å"The Cask1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe Casket of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is a short story illustrating how pride leads to the downfall of two men. At the story’s heart is the tale of Montresor, the protagonist, getting revenge on a former friend, Fortunato. Poe’s characterization of Montresor shows a sinister, proud man, obsessed not only with his revenge but also not getting punished himself. â€Å"It must be a perfect revenge, one in which Fortunato will know fully what is happening to him and in whichRead MoreHow The Cask of Amontillado Uses Symbolism and Irony1291 Words   |  6 Pages Often, writers use symbolism to describe an object with more clarity to the reader. It provides additional layers of meaning to a text. Symbolism is not only important in literature but is also important in everyday life. For instance, symbolism is found in colors, objects, and on flowers. For example a rose can represent love and romance. Symbolism is used in literature, movies, and even on street signs. Such as the colors in the street light: red means stop, yellow means slow down, and the greenRead MoreRole of Realism in Edagar Allan Poe ´s The Tell Tale Heart and The Cask of Amortillado1014 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe are dark short stories relevant to murder, revenge, and mystery. Poe writes both stories in a Gothic style in order to deal with ideas of realism. One may ask were the murders and punishments justifiable in either short story? One may also ask did Poe accurately depict realism in each story? Realism, defined as a technique in literature that accurately represents everyday life, is questioned in Poe’s works: â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Cask ofRead MoreExamples of Irony and Symbolism in The Cask of Amontillado1334 Words   |  6 PagesWriters often use symbolism in the story to give a more vivid description rather than just saying, pictures are a perfect example. S ymbolism is the art of using any object, place, name or anything that represents something rather than its original meaning. A good example can be a roller coaster because it indicates that there will be ups in downs in life. Another example is the color Red this color can symbolize blood, passion or danger. Irony is another technique used in the story to give it a betterRead MoreGothic Literature : The Dark Side Of Romanticism1518 Words   |  7 PagesGothic literature is the dark side of Romanticism. The theme of Gothic stories is either mysterious, horror, or even death. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are authors that demonstrate Gothic literature. Some of their work include, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Cask of Amontillado tells how the narrator Montresor seeks revenge on his acquaintance, Fortunato. Montresor to desperate measures and did not catch. However, in â€Å"TheRead MoreSymbolism and Irony in Cask of Amontillado866 Words   |  3 Pages In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, the author, Edgar Allen Poe, uses symbolism and irony to connect to the readers. Symbolism is an object or word that has two meanings. Poe uses this device when he writes, â€Å"Fortunado is dressed as a fool†(20). It is symbolic representation of what Fortunado is. Irony is a twist in a situation that creates tension between the two conflicts. Poe uses irony throughout his story as a way of enticing readers. The narrator, Montresor, tells about how he got revenge 50Read MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher Edgar Allan Poe Analysis1184 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is a well known author and poet whose style is characterized with the usage of a wide range of literary elements that convey a dark mood. Due to Poe’s experiences of poverty and tragedies throughout his life, he became depressed, which affected his writing greatly. Along with his experiences, Poe incorporated many literary elements to enhance the mood of his stories like The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of The House of Usher. Poe used foreshadowing in both the Fall of the HouseRead MoreThe Masque of the Red Death vs. the Cask of Amontillado1564 Words   |  7 PagesLester Small LITR 220 24 February 2013 The Masque of the Red Death vs. The Cask of Amontillado â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe are somewhat different. The major themes of these stories differ significantly, as does the emphasis placed on each character which dealt more to The Cask of Amontillado† than to â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Regardless of this, the stories are similar in many ways. For instance, both belong to the literacy of the