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Salem Witch Trials and Puritan Community

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Salem Witch Trials and Puritan Community
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In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, many lies have been made by the Puritan Community. The witch trials took place during the times of the Salem in Massachusetts. This was a time of much hypocrisy in the people of the town of Salem. The witch trials involved many people to lie about the devil and witchcraft, which also harmed others in many ways. The Puritans of Massachusetts were a religious faction. Miler involved the intense dishonesty over the Puritan Community.

The story began with the dancing of the girls in the forest. These girls were: Abigail Williams, Tituba, and Betty Parris. When the girls were seen they became scared and ran off. This is what led to the uprising in the town. Many people believed anything they heard or saw. They believed in an unconditional election in which God has no obligation to save anyone, no matter how little the problem is. The Puritans use this during the witch trials in which they hanged many people that were innocent of witchcraft. These hangings happened because everyone believed everything the girls said and showed. People in the crowd seemed awe struck by the girls and their ability to view people as witches or not. These hangings produced hysteria in the townspeople. In the story because of the dancing of the girls the priests of the town, Hale and Parris believed that the girls called the devil upon their town. Many people are accused of witch craft because of the girls.

Abigail instigated her problems by lying, in order to avoid punishment and to remain an accepted member of the community. Author Miller described that she has, "an endless capacity for dissembling."(9) She started out by trying to convince her uncle, Reverend Parris that she never participated in any acts of witchcraft. She needed an excuse for Betty, her cousin, who was lying unconscious in bed. She explained to Proctor, "Oh, posh! We were dancin' in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took fright, is

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