The Crucible: Fooled By The Innocence Of Youth Essay, Research Paper

The Crucible: Fooled By the Innocence of Youth

In the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, Miller displays how easily

people can be fooled by the innocence of youth. He also exposes the gullibility

of common people, even people such as Danforth and Hathorne, who play the role

of the “wise” judges. A single girl, Abigail, causes the downfall of the whole

society. Abigail scares the younger part of the society into submission. The

people who must decide the fate of the rest of the society, see only her

innocence and truthfulness.

Abigail seeks the affection of John Proctor, a farmer who is respected

and feared by most of the townspeople. Proctor makes a foolish mistake when he

has an affair with Abigail. Later on he regrets having this affair, and he wants

Abigail to forget that it ever happened. Abigail does not want to let him go,

she wants him to decide between his wife, Elizabeth Proctor or her, Abigail.

Abigail is deprived of attention and she seeks it from the community.

Abigail’s parents were killed when she was younger, and her uncle,

Reverend Parris, does not pay very much attention to her. She attempts to give

people the impression that she is a very tough person. John Proctor and

Elizabeth Proctor know what she is really like and wants to have nothing to do

with her. In Act One she says, “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.” From this we get the

impression that she might be a little bit mentally disturbed. The way that she

acts in front of John Proctor reveals that she is not as sure of herself as she

would like us to believe.

Mary Warren decides to confess to the fact that they are all lying, and

that she never saw any spirits. In front Abigail, however, she breaks down and

returns to her side. When Judge Danforth calls for Abigail to be summoned to

court he is told that she has stolen her uncle’s money and left the town.

Despite this fact Judge Danforth does not think ill of it. Judge Danforth feels

so secure in his position that he will not accept the fact that he can be wrong.

During the trial Danforth is completely sure that he