Comparing McCarthyism and The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay

Authors used their literary work to get a point across to the public in the story The Crucible; Arthur Miller used events and characters to show the similarities to McCarthyism which was prevalent in the 1950s. McCarthyism was associated with the period in the United Sates also known as the Second Red Scare. McCarthyism is very similar in the way that Joe McCarthy accused Americans of being communist and in The Crucible people were being accused of being witches. It is known that Arthur Miller wrote this story as a reaction to a tragic time in our history. In both situations people were accused and were found guilty with not much proof. You would think that the judges would dismiss a case when there wasn’t much proof. In The Crucible†¦show more content†¦People lost their jobs and careers went bad and even imprisonment occurred. McCarthy held hearings called the Hollywood Blacklist, which had to do with The House Committee on Un-American Activities and anti- communist activities with the FBI. McCarthyism had great effects on different levels of society, involving conflict and many arguments. This relates to The Crucible in the sense that the way people were acting changed dramatically, different and weird because they knew or thought that witches were around. It destroyed people’s relationships, caused chaos in church and separation between people. People supported Abigail and Rev.Parris in different types of ways. For example when Abigail would say something and even when it was not true the girls would all follow her moves and lie for her. McCarthyism was supported by many different groups, including a lot of anti- communist organizations, there was no solid number for the victims of McCarthyism, and people who were imprisoned were around the hundreds and ten to twelve thousand lost their jobs. In The Crucible some were hung and many were being imprisoned nonstop and everyone was being called a witch, even with no proof. They searched for perverts and ended up i n thousands being harassed and denied employment. In The Crucible John Proctor and Abigail had a quiet affair andShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pagesplays that came from the 1950s was Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. During a time when the U.S. was worried of communism taking over, Miller released The Crucible, which helped to capture the hysteria that was occurring. The play presents itself as a metaphor for the House of Un-American Activities Committee that was created during the Cold War when communism was spreading, but Miller never actually referenced it in the play. Although Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is set in the late 1600s, it offersRead MoreThe Crucible By Comparing The Salem Witch Trials1431 Words   |  6 Pagesnation, and Arthur Miller became a victim of McCarthyism. 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