The Crucible Character Recipe

English 200 points

Act II of The Crucible begins with exposition relating to setting, more specifically the Proctor home and its overall mood, or lack of mood, or as Proctor says, “It be winter in here yet.” Another way the playwright poetically illustrates the dreary and bland nature of the relationship between Elizabeth and John Procter is the flavorless soup. Proctor stops his progress to salt it, to make it somehow palatable.

Indeed the nature of food, and the way it is prepared has long been a device authors use to characterize the actors in their work. And that is what you will do for your final.

Objective: You will demonstrate your understanding of a character by “creating” them in a recipe form. Imagine that you were to cook up that character. I’m asking you to record what comprises that person. Make sure you keep in mind that the recipe – the ingredients and the directions – are an extended metaphor for the complexities of your assigned character.

Preparation Tips:

Prewriting

1. I will assign you AND TWO OTHER PEOPLE a character from The Crucible, the literary work you just devoured.

2. List character traits and descriptions as they appear in the play. Use the Universal Themes, the play itself, and any other materials you have to identify character traits, particularly the elements of STEAL

3. Determine and list events or forces that they believe helped shape the character.

Writing

o  Create a recipe that the author might have used to develop the character they have selected

o  Name the recipe with the character’s name and a food item (Reverend Hale’s Slow Cooking Roast)

o  Include food adjectives as metaphors for your ingredients (raw, diced, skinned)

o  Choose the ingredients (character traits) and an adjective before it to make it more specific

o  Make sure you have at least EIGHT (8) ingredients with measurements

o  Make sure you have directions that are metaphors for the events of the play

o  Make sure you have at least 8-10 steps

o  Make sure you have a completed recipe with final serving instructions

o  Make sure all ingredients are included in your recipe

Revising

o  Check to make sure preparation instructions are clear and in logical order.

o  Make sure you can back up your choices by referencing the play.

Proofreading

Check spelling, abbreviations for measurements, and that preparation instructions are delivered using imperative sentences (if you don’t know what one is, find out!).

Misspellings and taboo words will cost you points.

You will have the second hour of finals to complete the work, and any additional time you want to spend over the weekend. You will present your finding a poster and will present the poster on the Monday following finals (February 6). Include at least one picture, hand drawn or otherwise.

Note: the focus is on the metaphor and how effectively it conveys the traits of your assigned character. The most accomplished work will move beyond obvious and easy conclusions and examine the complexity of character and the evolution (if any) over the course of the play.
SAMPLE STUDENT RECIPE

Recipe for Pearl Prynne Pie (The Scarlet Letter)

Ingredients:

  1. 1 full block of salty Puritan Scorn (use the more sour “Boston” brand)
  2. 1 gallon, organic Passion
  3. 2 cups ethereal Beauty, unfiltered
  4. 2 cups overflowing Pride
  5. A pinch of locally-grown Honesty
  6. Handful of Insight, scorched
  7. 1 pint of Mystery, finely chopped
  8. 3 lbs Audacity, heavily seasoned
  9. 4 tablespoons Scandal and Cruelty (equal portions)
  10. 1/2 cup Regret, optional
  11. 5 drops scarlet food coloring

Directions

  1. Set aside Puritan Scorn and let it marinate in its own juices
  1. Pour the Passion into a deep, deep bowl and let it sit for three years
  2. After the time period passes, and the Passion heats up add into the bowl
  3. The Beauty, Pride, Honesty, the Insight – beat furiously until completely fused
  4. Expose the ingredients to the salty Puritan Scorn until the mixture soaks up the Scorn and neutralizes the salt
  5. Now add the Mystery and Audacity for an especially enigmatic flavor.
  6. Pour all ingredients into a 12-inch black, cast iron pie dish, make sure that it is rigid and stiff
  7. Make sure to set the oven at zero degrees for no added warmth – colder temperatures will result in a much tastier, much more sublime pie.
  8. Bake for nine months.
  9. Let it set on scaffolding, and then cover completely with the Scandal and Cruelty mix
  10. Garnish with attention-grabbing Scarlet coloring.
  11. Result: One disgraced baby girl.
  12. Serve on on ornate and clear cake plate (careful, serving piece causes intense anguish if broken). Garnish with wild roses.

Note: Add optional Regret if you like a more acrimonious flavor

Preparation Time: 9 Months

Serves: 1 Mother