Crucible Act I

Goals: Character motivation, character interactions (relationship and conflict)

April 28

Dramatic Exposition p. 1234-1237

What motivates Abigail?

What motivates Parris?

Dramatic Exposition (about the Putnams) p. 1241

What motivates the Putnams?

(end page 1243) Exit card -- How does Parris interact with others?

April 29

What does Mary Warren mean by "Tell the truth"? What do you think the truth is?

Dramatic Exposition (about Proctor) p. 1245

Describe Abigail and Proctor's interaction.

What is Abigail's motivation? Why would she want to put a spell on Elizabeth Proctor?

Why does Betty react the way she does?

Dramatic Exposition p. 1248

How do you the Putnams and Nurses interact?

Proctor (p. 1249): "We vote by name in this society, not by acreage." Explain what it means?

Exit card: Why doesn't Proctor go to church?

What does Parris's interaction with Proctor and Giles about firewood and deeds say about Parris's character?

(end p. 1252)

April 30

Bell work: Students revisited exit questions and had to point to a line in the play that showed:

1. Why Proctor doesn't go to church.

2. We listed Parris's characteristics and then found lines to support this.

Define Irony: The opposite of what is expected

Parris says he is a "Godly man", why is this ironic?

Dramatic exposition p. 1252 (Hale)

What motivates Hale to help them in Salem?

Dramatic Exposition p. 1257 (Giles)

Why would the Devil strike Parris's house?

What is Abigail's motivation for accusing Tituba?

Exit Card: Describe Tituba's interrogation scene. How does it parallel the interrogations of the McCarthy Era?

May 5, 2014

Act II: Proctor's house, 8 days later

Read p. 1267-1275 in a group of 4 (Elizabeth, Proctor, Mary Warren, and Narrator)

Record interactions between Elizabeth and John.

How do they change? Why would their interacts be important to understanding their relationship?

Include all plot details in a summary of p. 1267-1275. What does Elizabeth ask of Proctor at the end?

p. 1269 allusion: reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.

What do we learn about Abigail and also about Elizabeth's knowledge of Abigail and Proctor's relationship?

Commandments are a symbol for what? p.1272 - 1273. What irony is mentioned?

May 6, 2014

p. 1275-1282

What excuses did Proctor make about going to church or baptized all his children?

What is the irony in which commandment he has missed?

Who are accused?

Martha Corey: reading books and putting a spell on Walcott's pigs

Rebecca Nurse: Killing Putnam's babies

Elizabeth Proctor: Putting a spell ion Abigail with a needle in a Poppet like a voodoo doll.

May 7, 2014

p. 1282-1287

Act II

How did Elizabeth incriminate herself (set herself up to become more suspicious)?

How has John and Elizabeth's relationship/interactions changed since the beginning of the act?

May 8, 2014

p.1291-1301

Act III

Setting: Court Meeting Room

Character:

Danforth --

Vocabulary:

pretense -- pretend

Why doesn't Danforth want to take Proctor's word?

Why is Elizabeth going to be saved?

Putnam's motivation to get land if hung land is taken

Trying to get Giles to give names.

May 12, 2014

p.1301-1315

Danthforth monologue on p. 1301 What does he admit about it? What is Danforth's motive?

Why did Mary Warren pretend to faint in the first place?

Why was it important for Proctor to have her confess this pretense?

Why is Proctor confessing to adultery? What does it show about his character?

Vocabulary:

dramatic irony -- When the reader/audience knows what is going on but not all the characters do.

Why does Mary Warren turn on Proctor?

Why does Hale quit the court? What does it say about his character?

May 14, 2014

p.

Act IV

Setting: Salem Jail; 3 months later.

What role does Hale play now?

Why did Abby leave?

How does Parris change from the beginning of the play?

What does Hale ask of Good Proctor?

How does Giles Corey die? Why?

How has Elizabeth and John's relationship changed since Act II?

Why won't Rebecca lie?

Compare the dialogue between Danforth and Proctor to that of David and _____ in the Guilty by Suspicion.

"Because it is my name. . ."

Why won't he give Proctor give his name? What does a name symbolize?