Question

the crucible test
part 1: the crucible notes (1 - 15)

1. what is the main reason arthur miller wrote the crucible?

a) to entertain audiences with a story about witches
b) to make a political statement about fear and hysteria
c) to encourage americans to support communism
d) to criticize the puritan religion

1. the word allegory in the crucible means-

a) a story that only tells historical facts
b) a story meant to scare readers
c) a story that represents a deeper moral or political meaning
d) a story about real people and events only

1. what two historical events does the crucible connect to?

a) the red scare and world war i
b) the salem witch trials and mccarthyism
c) the civil war and the great depression
d) the american revolution and the cold war

1. what does the term mccarthyism refer to?

a) the spread of democracy in europe
b) a movement encouraging witch hunts
c) a period of fear and false accusations of communism
d) a group of writers supporting arthur miller

1. what did the house un - american activities committee (huac) do?

a) helped people find new jobs
b) questioned americans suspected of being communists
c) protected artists and writers from persecution
d) investigated witchcraft in massachusetts

1. when someone was \blacklisted\ during the 1950s, it meant-

a) they were rewarded for loyalty
b) they were banned from working due to suspicion
c) they joined a secret political group
d) they became government spies

1. why did miller choose the title the crucible?

a) it symbolizes a severe test or trial faced by the characters
b) it refers to a magical object used in witchcraft
c) it describes the setting of salem, massachusetts
d) it represents a peaceful resolution of conflict

1. what was senator joseph mccarthys main claim?

a) that the government was secretly planning a revolution
b) that communists had infiltrated the u.s. government
c) that arthur miller was un - american
d) that marilyn monroe was a spy

1. how did the crucible serve as a warning to audiences?

a) it showed that hysteria and fear can destroy innocent people
b) it encouraged people to ignore government warnings
c) it promoted the idea that witchcraft was real
d) it celebrated american capitalism

1. which of the following best defines hysteria?

a) a logical debate between two groups
b) a calm disagreement
c) an outbreak of uncontrolled fear or emotion
d) a celebration after victory

1. which detail from the notes best supports that the crucible is an allegory?

a) the play includes several witches
b) miller married marilyn monroe
c) the play represents fear of communism through the salem witch trials
d) it was written in the 1950s

Explanation:

1. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible to make a political statement about fear and hysteria (similar to McCarthyism).
2. An allegory is a story that represents a deeper moral or political meaning.
3. The Crucible connects the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism.
4. McCarthyism refers to a period of fear and false accusations of communism.
5. The House Un - American Activities Committee (HUAC) questioned Americans suspected of being Communists.
6. Being "blacklisted" in the 1950s meant being banned from working due to suspicion.
7. The Crucible is named so because it symbolizes a severe test or trial faced by the characters.
8. Senator Joseph McCarthy's main claim was that communists had infiltrated the U.S. government.
9. The Crucible served as a warning as it showed how hysteria and fear can destroy innocent people.
10. Hysteria is an outbreak of uncontrolled fear or emotion.
11. The fact that the play represents fear of communism through the Salem Witch Trials shows it is an allegory.

Answer:

1. B. To make a political statement about fear and hysteria
2. C. A story that represents a deeper moral or political meaning
3. B. The Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism
4. C. A period of fear and false accusations of communism
5. B. Questioned Americans suspected of being Communists
6. B. They were banned from working due to suspicion
7. A. It symbolizes a severe test or trial faced by the characters
8. B. That communists had infiltrated the U.S. government
9. A. It showed how hysteria and fear can destroy innocent people
10. C. An outbreak of uncontrolled fear or emotion
11. C. The play represents fear of communism through the Salem Witch Trials