Unit 1 ENG Study guide
Archetypes seen in the Crucible
1.)Biographical Criticism 2.) Critical race theory 3.) Feminist and gender theory 4.) psychoanalytic theory 5.) New Historicism
Abigail seems to be afraid that:
Abigail seems to be afraid of being caught experimenting with witchcraft. Before, and even after Betty wakes up Abigail has this lingering fear that someone involved in the previous night's ritual might squeal on what actually went down in the forest. For that reason she tells everyone to forget about what actually happened and claim that they all were only "dancing" if someone asked. Textual evidence: "Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam's dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! She goes to Betty and roughly sits her up. Now, you - sit up and stop this' "
Ann Putnam is frightening because:
Ann Putnam is frightening because of her resentment for losing all her first seven children during childbirth. This not only gives her motive for starting up rumors about other households, bt also has the residents of Salem questioning her sanity, and omens with God. Textual evidence: "Reverend Parris, I have laid seven babies un-baptized in the earth. Believe me, sir, you never saw more hearty babies born, And yet, each would wither in my arms the very night of their birth. I have spoke nothin', but my heart has clamored intimations. And now, this year, my Ruth, my only - I see her turning strange. A secret child she has become this year, and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin' on her life too. And so I thought to send her to your Tituba -"
What do you learn about Ann Putnam's beliefs regarding witchcraft in this excerpt? Cite evidence in the text that supports your answer.
Ann Putnam's belief regarding witchcraft is she is a heavy believer; "He has indeed; and found a witch in Beverly last year, and let you remember that." She later goes on to say that there is definitely witchcraft at work on Betty and continues to argue with Parris on behalf of that claim.
What context clues can you identify for the word trafficked?What do you think that trafficked might mean? Look up the meaning of trafficked and compare the dictionary definition with your guess.
Context clues that can help me identify the word for trafficked would be the sentence that surrounds it; "Now look you, child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now," In this it shows that the word trafficked is some sort of action word (verb) and describes a connection with the Devil/spirits of the forest (noun). I think trafficked might mean something along the lines of worked with or connected with for use, and since the sentence also has the phrase "spirits of the forest"(in this time period and setting connoted as something evil and mysterious) I can assume that trafficked holds a negative connotation. The dictionary definition says "deal or trade in something illegal" so I wasn correct when I said it was a connection with another person in order to work with them.
New Historicism
Definition: Reading a text as a historical/literary document, to examine how an event was interpreted, and how those interpretations can inform us about the interpreters. A new historicist reading also examines how historical contexts can change over time. Critical Assumptions: Meaning is contextual. There are divergent viewpoints on the nature of a historical context. History is subjective. Interpretation is a king of cultural production, marked by a particular context; we cannot look at history objectively, as we too interpret events as a product of our culture and our time.
Biographical Criticism
Definition: Reading a text for its contextual significance. This would include information about the author (experiences, beliefs, and intentions), his or her historical moment, or the systems of meaning available at the time of writing. Critical Assumptions: Meaning is contextual. Writing is a product of social, political, and historical forces. Writing reflects the systems of meaning available to the author. Interpretation of writing demands interpretation of its historical or biographical context.
Feminist and Gender Theories
Definition: Reading a text for its gender related issues or attitudes towards gender. The assumption here is that people of all genders experience the world differently. According to feminist theory, patriarchal oppression negatively impacts people of all genders. Critical Assumptions: Any text cannot exist outside of a gender frame of reference. Historically, writing (and interpretation) has been dominated by men and masculine perceptions; it is important for women to create a feminine/feminist way of writing and reading. Men and women are essentially different, and differences can be examined in social behavior, ideas, and values; these differences should be recognized. Stereotyping is dangerous and can lead to destructive social norms.
Social Power Theory, Marxist Theory, or Socio-Economic Theory
Definition: Reading a text for its socio-economic issues and for how it comments on and represents class conflict. Critical Assumptions: The way people think and behave is determined by basic economic factors. Class conflict is the same as political conflict. The wealthy class exploits the working class by forcing their own values and beliefs upon them, usually through control of working conditions and money. The ideas can be applied to the study of literature, which is a product of culture and social conflict.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Definition: Reading a text for patterns in human behavior to gain insight into the character or author's thinking and behavior. While everyone's formative history is different, there are basic recurrent patterns of development for most people. Critical Assumptions: An author reveals repressed wishes or fears in a literary text. Creative writing, like dreaming, can unlock the subconscious. There are some patterns such as anxiety, repression, fear of death, etc., that can be applied both to individual characters and authors as well as generally to human beings.
New Criticism/ Formalist Lens
Definition: Reading a text in order to analyze what the text's form reveals about the meaning of its content. The focus should be on the text itself. A text will teach you how to read it; the work itself is the only place of critical interest. The author's intentions are unavailable and irrelevant. A text is valuable if it contains ambiguities, ironies, and complexities that can be resolved through careful analysis of its form. A complex work will reveal a unifying theme.
PostColonial Literary Theory
Definition: Reading a text to determine how it comments on or represents marginalized voices, the Other, oppression, or injustice. Critical Assumptions: Colonization (the exploitation of one national or ethnic group by another) is a powerful destructive force that disrupts the identities of both groups. Colonized societies are forced to the margins by their colonizers (called "Othering"), despite having a historical claim to the land they inhabit. Literature written by colonizers distorts the experiences and realities of the colonized; literature written by the colonized often attempts to redefine or preserve a sense of cultural identity.
Archetypal / Mythological Lens
Definition: Reading a text to examine similarities to ancient story designs, character categories, and imagery. Critical Assumptions: Imaginative work is indebted to ancient systems of meaning, including ritual, mythology, and inherited symbolism (the "collective unconscious"). There are no new stories. Conflicts, characters, and symbols in fiction and poetry come from the same place as dreams and can be interpreted the same way dreams are.
Critical Race Theory
Definition: Reading a text to examine the appearance of race and racism throughout a work. Critical Assumptions: Race is socially constructed product of social thought and relations. Communities of color are deferentially racialized depending on the interests of the dominant group. History and historical contexts must be taken into consideration in order to fully comprehend texts that affect or are about people of color. The ideological contestation, deconstruction, and reconstruction of race is often demonstrated through storytelling and counter-narratives.
In the 4th paragraph, why might Equiano have included a description of the flogging of a white man? Cite evidence from the text to support your response.
Equiano might have included a description of the flogging of a white man in paragraph 4 because it creates an understanding of fear in the young African to fear the white savages who punish their own people in an inhumane manner; "but still I feared I should be put to death, the white people looked and acted, as I thought, in so savage a manner; for I had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruelty; and this not only shewn towards us blacks, but also to some of the whites themselves." This quote proves my point. The author mentions "brutal cruelty" when describing how the whites treat each other.
How can history be dramatic, and how can drama bring history to life?
History can be dramatic by the people who were once in seemingly ancient times do things that society would now deem inhumane or horrifying. Drama can bring history to life by acting as a metaphor to the problems an author thinks is in his society then.
What role does Parris play in the community? Use details from the text to explain how this might influence the future action of the story.
Parris, also known as Reverend Parris, is known as both a religious and villainous figure in Salem. This might foreshadow a religious but evil leader that enacted the Salem Witch Trials with God by his side; "In history he cut a villainous path, and there is very little good to be said for him. He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side".
The Crucible
Setting: 1692 Salem; Extremely religious settlers; Hate the native Americans and because the inhabit the woods (virgin Forest) the believe everything there is untouched by God and the devils breeding ground (causes lots of problems). This play was written during the time of McCarthyism, it conveys the authors society and views on the subject.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
Setting: A cramped slave ship 1620's-1865 Conditions in the slave ships were so bad that traveling slaves refused to eat because they invited death. The slaves were cut and whipped for trying to commit suicide Death=freedom
The characters introduced at this point in the play increase the level of fear and paranoia because:
The characters introduced at this point in the play increase the level of fear and paranoia because their overly religious background influence a superstitious feeling in the audience. As Foster mentioned in his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor the readers of a text have the pain inducing habit to accidentally put themselves in the characters shoes and relay all of their emotions unto themselves. With this in mind, it only makes sense that the increase of fear and paranoia is illuminated in the audience.
Why would the church and government authorities continue to credit these wild and unsubstantiated stories as respectable people from all walks of life—landowners, women of independent means, neighbors, even clergy—were arrested and brought to trial?
The church and government authorities would continue to credit these wild and unsubstantiated stories as respectable people from all walks of life because again the fear from these outrageous accusations gives these leaders power. This archetypal power due to t=corruption is a tale as old as time and one that can continuously be seen in the acts of the crucible. The more that the leaders claim that their are witches living amongst the people of Salem (especially the powerful, respected and trusted) makes them all look to a place of superstitions in order to confirm illogical suspicions which only makes the"holy" church more powerful.
The events at the start of the play and the night before create fear because:
The events at the start of the play and the night before create fear because it makes it seem like witchcraft has taken hold of very religious (and superstitious) town Salem. The mysterious woods, along with a group of females dancing around a fire that concludes with a little girl fainting and falling into a coma in a sense is very scary and in a town such as this can be easily mistaken as unnatural causes at play.
How is the last paragraph different from the rest of the narrative? Why do you think Equiano makes this change? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
The last paragraph is different from the rest of the narrative because it shows the authors (and other slaves) feelings toward being sold. It engulfs the audience in a tragic scene of people is not only torn apart from their homeland but also their family. "O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? Is it not enough that we are torn from our country and friends to toil for your luxury and lust of gain?" In this quote, it shows his true feelings about being sold as a slave instead of a description of what happened. I think that Equiano does this to entrance the audience from an emotional standpoint and have them sympathize with his pain.
Why were the leaders of Salem's clerical and civil community ready to condemn to death 19 people who refused to acknowledge being witches based on spectral evidence and the hysterical words of young girls?
The leaders of Salem's clerical and civil community ready to condemn to death 19 people who refused to acknowledge being witches based on spectral evidence and the hysterical words of young girls because of their horribly made judicial system. The leaders of Salem 1692 wanted the people to be fearful because that creates a time of chaos in which the church (people in power) can practically do whatever they want and force others to do what they want as well.
Based on the meaning of the prefix con-, would you predict that the vocabulary word consternation has a positive or a negative connotation? Look for any context clues that support your response. Then explain how the prefix and the context helped you decide whether the word has a positive or negative connotation.
The meaning of the prefix con is together or with, which would make me believe that the connotation of this word is positive. Another reason I would believe the word consternation has a positive connotation is because together and with is a word that can define the word unity which is also driven with a positive connotation. Some of context clues that support my response would be the sentence that surrounds the word "afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to me," This quotation is the beginning of the sentence that has the word and the end of the previous sentence. In the quotation it speaks of our author being afraid of the white man giving him a drink and a fellow African gets the cup for him which made him feel a closeness to someone of his own race, which is what her further explains in the rest of the sentence.
Identify the word parts that make up the word abomination.What context clue can you identify for the word abomination?Using word parts and context, what do you think abomination might mean?
The prefix ab means away from, min means small, and tion means action. Also this word is the verb version of the word abominable which describes something as disgustingly unpleasant. The sentence surrounding the word in the text states; "Now then, in the midst of such disruption, my own household is discovered to be the very center of some obscene practice. Abominations are done in the forest" The sentence uses the words disruption and obscene signaling something horrific and out of the norm and directly compared to the word abomination. I think the word abomination might mean that something is disgustingly unpleasant or horrific.
What was it about the time period that made such hysteria, and ultimately tragedy, possible?
The reason the time period made such hysteria, and ultimately tragedy, possible was the fact that their village was a really religious one. Now due to modern medicine and science we can explain the natural causes of the things that happened on earth without consulting the idea of a godly figure. However, during that time period the idea that God made things happen or that the devil was always around us trying to persuade us to underhand God was a normal and seemingly logical one. We humans fear the things we do not understand, and when this happens it is only natural to try and look for survival be becoming minions of those more powerful than ourselves.
The village could represent:
The village could represent a childhood innocence that is easily overtaken by corruption. Via the rumors spread and superstitions that started the horrific Salem witch trials.
Ways in which the play relates to the period of McCarthyism:
The way the play The Crucible could in anyway relate the period of McCarthyism is the way the people of the village dealt with outside nonconvertible figures that stood in their way of complete dominance. We all should know that the period of McCarthyism relates to the time that capitalist tried to push out communist ideas and the people who invited them. During this time it was easy to have someone shunned if you called them a communist in public. Which in it's own way could start rumors, handle a grudge and in no way has to be true. And, though less gruesome, is a direct comparison to the Salem witch trials.
What word parts make up the word loathsome? What context clues can help you determine the meaning of the word loathsome? (Note that the word loathsome appears twice in the 6th paragraph. Look for context clues around both instances of the word.) Explain how using word parts and context clues can help you determine the definition for loathsome.
The word parts that make up loathsome are loathe and some. The dictionary definition of loathe is "to feel intense dislike or disgust for." it is a verb but when you add the word some on the end it makes it an adjective making it mean something that is capable of making you feel disgust for. Some context clues from the passage that helped me determine the definition of this word is; "This produced copious perspiration, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves," This quote describes the stench that roams the slave ships. He uses words like "brought on a sickness" or even "unfit for respiration" to show it is something that he doesn't only not like but feels a hatred for it.
The setting of the play also contributes to the frightening atmosphere. The forest could represent:
The worst that resides within all of mankind. In the beginning of the play it says that the forest was something that was a "virgin" untouched by European settlers hands and for the religious (basically all of 1692 Salem) it was a perfect place for the devil to place his domain. But we the readers know from our brief time reading it that the evil or "devil" that the people of Salem preach about is really in themselves. The sickness that came over Betty because the loss of her mother was overwhelming.The gynecology problems with Mrs.Putnam. Ruth's sleepwalking that is a natural occurrence in many people all over the world is all something that happened from within but aroused so many rumors and suspicions that it ruined their village.
What is it about this particular tragic segment of American history that appeals to the creative imagination?
This particular tragic segment of American history appeals to the creative imagination because of itś gruesomeness and religious background it creates a sense of tragedy, itś hard to believe that saviors would burn people due to false accusations as humans we are horrified and entrapped by this concept..
Critical Race theory:
This was written in the point of view of an traveling African slave who describes the horrible conditions and is very different from the white slave/ship owners.
Thomas Putnam is frightening because:
Thomas Putnam is frightening because he holds a serious grudge against the main character Reverend Parris. It was further explained in the text upon their meeting when it describes how the Reverend had wronged him in the elections for the minister of Salem. Textual evidence: "Thomas Putnam's brother-in-law, had been rejected; the motif of resentment is clear here. Thomas Putnam felt that his own name and the honor of his family had been smirched by the village, and he meant to right matters however he could."
In the 3rd paragraph from the end, Equiano describes his fascination with a quadrant, a tool that sailors use to see far away and measure distances. What can you infer about Equiano based on this passage? Does this passage make you feel differently about the slave traders? Provide textual evidence to support your response.
What I can infer about Equiano from this paragraph is that he isn't thoroughly educated on the navigation and landscape of the sea. At the beginning of the paragraph Equiano says; "I also now first saw the use of the quadrant; I had often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it meant." By him stating this the passage does make me see slave traders in a different light and the slaves. I have subconsciously always known of their navigation skills but through this passage and Equiano's reaction, it seems that while they are brutal savages they take pride in what they do and their intelligence. It makes me wonder, however, if one of the main reason's Whites looked down on African's was because of their sub par ocean navigation skills. As we already know the Europeans had been sailing centuries before even meeting the African's while the African's only stayed in one place not curious about the rest of the world.
What is Parris trying to learn from Abigail? Why is he so intent on getting a truthful response? Cite text evidence to support your answer.
What Parris is trying to learn from Abigail is what her and Betty were actually doing (unnatural witch craft) in the woods instead of only dancing. "I saw it! He moves from her. Then, re-solved: Now tell me true, Abigail. And I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry's at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin's life" This quote shows that he is so intent on getting the response because Betty has fallen into a comma and no medicine can wake her also he believes his enemies will use this as a chance to ruin him.
What makes these trials so compelling?
What makes these Salem witch trials so compelling is that they can be compared with the way society was during the time of communism. Also the tragic deaths both horrifies and entrap us readers because it is so unbelievably gory and upsetting. For a human to imagine that another human would burn someone at the stake for power,or force them to await trial to be burned at the fire because you disliked someone else is saddening, and compelling.
The Reverend Parris is most afraid that:
What the Reverend Parris is most afraid of is that because of this talk of witchcraft being placed on his daughter he himself will be thought of as a lesser leadership figure and eventually have his good name of a religious veteran ruined and be forced out of Salem in shame. Textual evidence: "Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you - you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house."
