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INTRODUCTION TO ARTHUR MILLER’S
THE CRUCIBLE
Who is Arthur Miller? Why did he write The Crucible? What is the work about? The answers to these and many
other questions surrounding this play we will be studying can be found at the eight learning stations set up around
the classroom. Each station has a different focus and the stations may be visited in any order, although you may
find that you need to return to some stations. Use the resources available at each station to complete the
activities below.
Station 1: Characteristics of Drama
Use your prior knowledge and browse through the text of The Crucible to respond to the following questions:
1. What is a play or drama?
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2. Name two plays or dramas not written by William Shakespeare.
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3. What are some features of a play or drama that differentiates it from other literary genres?
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4. What are some strategies that makes reading or studying a play easier?
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Station 2: Arthur Miller, The Playwright
Read the materials provided and answer the following questions:
1. What prestigious writing award did Arthur Miller win?
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2. Which famous woman was Arthur Miller married to?
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3. When did Arthur Miller write The Crucible?
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4. Describe Arthur Miller’s involvement in politics and activism.
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Station 3: Political Climate and The Crucible
1. Explain how the political climate at the time that Arthur Miller was writing The Crucible influenced the play.
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2. Who is Senator Joseph McCarthy?
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3. What is the Un-American Activities Committee (UNAC)?
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4. In what way did Arthur Miller’s life parallel that of the protagonist of the play, John Proctor?
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Station 4: Puritanism
1. Who are the Puritans?
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2. What are the core beliefs of Puritans?
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3. Give three adjectives to describe the life of Puritans.
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4. Using what you know about the play (Station 6), speculate upon what role Puritanism had in the events of The
Crucible.
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Station 5: Salem Witch Trials
1. Why was witchcraft against the law in the seventeenth century?
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2. In what year did the Salem witch hunt depicted in The Crucible take place?
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3. What is “spectral evidence”?
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4. Why did the accused often confess even if they were not guilty of witchcraft?
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5. How many people died as a result of the witch hunt, and how did they die?
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6. What caused the public to change their view on the witch hunt?
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7. What documents or acts brought an end to the witch hunt?
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Station 6: Plot Summary
In preparation for studying the play, read a few plot summaries. As you read, create a visual, for example, a
comic strip, a plot graph, or a mind map to help you organize the characters and understand the action.
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Station 7: Advice Column
Many of the characters in the play experience dilemmas and are in need of advice or counseling. Imagine you are
one of the characters (not necessarily Abigail Williams or John Proctor). Write a letter describing your problem,
expressing your feelings, and asking for advice. Then, give your letter to a peer and have them respond to you.
Dear ____________________,
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From _____________________
Dear ____________________,
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From _____________________
Station 8: Language
Read the sheet titled “Language in The Crucible,” then leaf through the pages of the play to respond to the
following questions:
1. Find two other examples of archaic diction used in the play. Cite the page number. Do not repeat examples
already mentioned in the articles.
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2. Find two other examples of unusual syntax used in the play. Cite the page number. Do not repeat examples
already mentioned in the articles.
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3. Find two other examples of similes or metaphors used in the play. Cite the page number. Do not repeat
examples already mentioned in the articles.
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4. Look up “crucible” in a dictionary. What does it mean? Based on what you know about the plot of the play
(Station 6), speculate on why Miller used it as the title.
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