the crucible
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THE CRUCIBLE. By Arthur Miller. What was going on in History During 1940s and 50s?. WWII War in Korea Communist Advances in Eastern Europe and in Asia. COMMUNISM:. Anyone who undermined the government was labeled a “Communist” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
What was going on in History During 1940s and 50s? WWII War in Korea Communist Advances
in Eastern Europe and in Asia
COMMUNISM: Anyone who
undermined the government was labeled a “Communist”
Anyone who disagreed with the governmental policies or decisions was considered to be un-American…
Alien Registration Act Passed by Congress
in 1940, made it illegal for anyone in the U.S. to advocate of overthrowing the government
Alien Residents over 14 years old had to file personal status and political beliefs
Communist Party Main goal of the ARA
(Alien Registration Act) was to undermine the ACP (American Communist Party)
Mainly Left Wing political groups Democrats
House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Investigated people
suspected of unpatriotic behavior This was the best tool to discover those who
were attempting to overthrow the government. Investigated Hollywood Motion Picture
Industry 19 people accused of holding left wing views “Hollywood Ten” refused to give accounts-as a
result served 6-12 months in prison
RED CHANNEL Published a list of 151
writers, directors, and performers who they claimed were members of subversive organizations prior to WW2, but had NOT been blacklisted.
BLACKLISTED: All accused people
remained on the list until they agreed to come forward and testify they had turned from their “Communist ways.”
YOU HAD TO GIVE NAMES, OTHERWISE YOU REMAINED ON THE BLACK LIST!
Joseph McCarthy: Who was he? Senator from Wisconsin Feb 9th 1950: McCarthy made a list of 57 people
in the State Department whom he believed to have Communist connections People screened for more than having
communist connections. Interrogations included questions about their
personal lives. Backfired for McCarthy: he would be
questioned about his alcoholism and sexual past.
McCarthy on the RAMPAGE!! He spent the next two years as
part of a committee who investigated government departments and large groups of people about their suspicious political past The only way to “save your own skin”
was to name people who you thought were/are part of communist organizations (even if you lied).
WITCH HUNT: anti-communist hysteria This witch-hunt known as
anti-communist hysteria is what we now refer to as McCarthyism Politicians were unwilling to
criticize McCarthy in Senate. Anti-American books in libraries
As a result, 30,000 books associated with Communism were removed from the shelves.
McCarthyism continued... Opponents of McCarthy questioned his
sexual orientation. As a result, he married his secretary
Jeannie Kerr to stop the accusations. McCarthy targeted the military for anti-
communist connection/activities He attempted to have The Secretary of
Army discredited This made President Eisenhower mad
(Eisenhower then tried to put an end to McCarthy’s activities)
McCarthy Under Attack! President United States Army Media
“In this long, degrading travesty of the democratic process, McCarthy has shown himself to be evil and unmatched in malice” (Louisville Journal).
McCarthy’s Downfall Lost position as Chairman
of Government Committee on Operations of the Senate
No power: no media would publish his stories anymore.
End of McCarthyism (Late 1950s)
Died of liver disease, due to alcoholism, in 1957
HISTORICAL FICTION FICTION BASED
UPON FACT DISCLAIMER AT THE
BEGINNING OF MOVIES
The Crucible is based upon an historical event: The Salem Witch Trials
BACKGROUND Born in 1915; Died in 2005 Grew up during the depression Intrigued with the events of 1940s and 50s Wrote a Screenplay Called “THE HOOK” Submitted screenplay to Harry Cohn (who showed it to the
FBI) He suggested to have the gangsters referred to as
“communist.” Miller realized this behavior was crazy
WITCHCRAFT TRIALS They began in 1692 Miller read about the trials in college Read book published in 1867 which held personal accounts of the
persecuted in Salem Miller visited Salem in 1952 Read actual reports issued by Rev. Parris Story of infidelity interested him because he was having troubles in
his own marriage John Proctor became his inspiration because Miller felt he spoke
TRUTH Caused problems because people became suspicious about the
link between the Red Hunt and the Witch Hunt
LINK ARTHUR MILLER SAW A
LINK BETWEEN McCARTHYISM AND THE WITCH TRIALS OF 1692 Thoughts and intentions meant
more than actual fact (true for both cases)
The more he read about the Salem trials the more interested he became
THE CRUCIBLE The language intrigued him The Crucible took 1 year to write. Opening night was on Jan. 22, 1953 Nobody liked it 1 year later it became a hit in Martinique People liked the play because of the
themes: Relates to societal and personal issues Hidden abuse situations Mass hysteria