The Crucible
...ims died under this overwhelming frenzy. Is the hysteria at that time in Salem that bad? The people of Salem took hundreds if people into custody and subjected them to the most intrusive indignities on their bodies. These were literally heinous acts of bestiality. This hysteria in Salem enables people to believe that their neighbors, whom they have always considered upstanding people, are committing absurd and unbelievable crimes—communing with the devil, killing babies, and so on. In “The Crucible? the townsfolk accept and become active in the hysterical climate not only out of genuine religious piety but also because it gives them a chance to express repressed sentiments and to act on long-held grudges. Will people stoop low enough to believe in what young girls say and cause the death of many innocent people (old women especially)? These young girls (Abigail, Mary, Betty and etc) actually framed and caused directly the death of many old women just to save their own skins. Why did this happen? Why was there such immorality and villainy in these girls? They are merely teenagers, barely over 20 years-old. What fascinates me here is that people would actually resort to this kind of accursed behavior under immense stress and fearfulness. What resulted in this outrageous acts performed by people? To add on to my fascination, these people were actually mostly girls. In my opinion, I thought girls were mild and calm in nature. I do not understand why they turned suddenly into monsters and beasts. Or is it reputation or social status responsible for these deaths? Salem is a place where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association beco...