The Crucible

ACT 1
This story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. In this time there was a huge problem going on in the town due to some girls faking side effects that they blamed on witchcraft. Many of the town's girls were found one night dancing and chanting in the woods which is how it all began. They started to fake side effects such as convulsions, temporary loss of sight or hearing, and loss of appitite, all of which are easy to be faked. They blamed these things on being "witched" by women in the town and began to say names also known as accusing them of witchery. This was a deadly sin in Salem because of their strong sense of religion. In the beginning of the story we find Betty unable to wake (she went into shock after Parris found them in the woods) and Abigail believes it is from witchcraft. Abby formaly lived with John and Goody Proctor however Goody Proctor dismissed her after she became aware of the affair between the two. In the woods Abby wished for John when all the other girls were wishing for the boys in town they wanted. They did this with Tituba's chanting, a stew of some sort, and Abby even drank blood. When Parris leaves the room and the girls are fighting all of a sudden Betty jumps up and runs to the window. Then starts yelling about wanting her mother, but her mother died years ago. When Betty hears the word Jesus she beings to scream and puts her hand over her ears, Mrs. Putnam says this is because this is the work of the devil.

ACT 2
One of the first things that we get into in this act is a fight between John and Elizabeth. John is furious that Elizabeth let Mary go to town so she could be part of the court. When he begins to be angry a detail of his and Abby's conversation comes out and Elizabeth starts to get angry because as far as she knew they had never been alone together but John just leaked a detail that for a few moments they were. The argument quickly switches to his previous affair. Mary comes home and gives Elizabeth a poppet that she made in court that day (she gives it to her with no bad intentions). When John is scoulding Mary for disobeying him she says that she saved Elizabeths life because her name was mentioned in the court today, however Mary said her name was good and she had no evil about her. Then Hale shows up to question Elizabeth and John, because even though Mary defended her he still wants to get to know them to see if they are good christian people. When Hale askes John to resite his commandments he gets all the way to 9 then forgets the last one, Elizabeth reminds him its adultury..this is a big thing because this is the sin he has commited. Then all of a sudden a wagon comes for Elizabeth because of the poppet Mary gave her, there was a needle stuck into it which would have meant nothing if Abby hadn't claimed to be stabbed with one by Elizabeth's spirit. Abby did this because she sat next to Mary in court and saw her put the needle there. Mary refuses to tell the court of this even after John asks her to.

ACT 3
This act is mainly about the court hearings. John takes Mary there to confess what she knows..that the girls are faking. He tells the judge that Mary lied in her previous testimony and so did all the other girls but now she is willing to speak the truth. When all the other girls get brought in Hathorne questions them as well (mostly Abby) but she sticks to her story and says that Mary is the one lying. She also denies knowing anything of the poppet. When they ask Mary to pretend to faint as she supposidly did before she says she cannot because she no long believes the lie, this does not look good on her part at all. Abby starts to say she feels an icey cold wind then John snaps and calls her a whore and confessed to the court why Abby is lying, so can get Elizabeth killed. They bring Elizabeth in for questioning but she denies that John had an affair. She does this in an attempt to save his good name, she doesn't know that he already confessed. All of a sudden Abby screams and claims that Mary is sending her spirt after her in a bird form that no one else can see. She seems terrified and they say her skin is ice cold. Finally Mary gives in and calls John the devils man and says he signed the Devils book. John then says that the Lord is dead and he has seen Lucifer.

ACT 4
In this act it is Hale's job to go to all the prisoners to try to get them to confess to witchcraft. He is starting to realize that his whole thing is fake but he wants them to save their lives. Even though God damns all liars he doesn't want them to throw their lives away when they are not guilty. We also find out that Elizabeth is pregnant and that she can be saved for one year. Then we findn out that Mercy and Abby have run away with Parris's money. John does end up confessing for his childrens sake. He signs his name but once it is done he realizes what a mistake it is. He takes the paper and refuses to let it hang on the door of the church. After awhile he realizes all he has left is his name and he cannot soil that so he rips up the paper and chooses to die instead. Even though Elizabeth is loosing her husband, she is very proud of him for what he has done. She claims he has his goodness now and she wouldn't dare take it away from him.