The Crucible Practice Essay

[BakerDad12]

Hey guys, I was practising some past papers and it's hard to know where I stand. I haven't done a lot of questions under timed conditions and so it's hard for me to judge where my responses lie. I was hoping you could help me with that. I did this essay in 45 mins and hand-written, I just typed it up for feedback.

I can see a flaw in my response as I found it hard to formulate a thesis quickly that I could sustain throughout. You can probably notice this as my thesis seems to evolve as the essay progresses, instead of being strong throughout. Thanks for your time!

(SGH 2019) How has your understanding of the complex nature of human behaviour been shaped by Arthur Miller's representation of conflict in The Crucible?

In your response, refer to your prescribed text.

Although Arthur Miller’s allegorical tragedy The Crucible primarily highlights the complexities of human behaviour when provided by external conflict, Miller, to a greater extent, explores the complexities of human behaviour when faced with internal conflicts. Miller personifies inner conflict as an ever-changing manifestation metamorphosing into different human experiences, most notably power-lust, conformity and the battle for integrity. Miller reveals that although inner conflict permeates the human experience, one can only achieve tranquility by exalting themselves above the swords of power-lust and conformity that beckon to ultimately maintain integrity.

Miller presents the first - and arguably the most prominent - manifestation of inner conflict within The Crucible as the innate human tendency to lust for power. Driven by the rampant power-craving of his times, Miller highlights that one must resolve their inner conflict that a greed for power engenders  to achieve inner tranquility. This is emphasised through the callous characterisation of Reverend Parris, as he dichotomously claims “my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.” The repetition of ministry, combined with the deliberate dialogue of “perhaps” as a prefix to the mere afterthought of his daughter’s life highlights how one consumed by the inner conflict of power will lose inner peace. Miller strengthens this notion through Parris’ characterisation in Act 4, where he is “[frightened]” and “[disheveled]”. Miller suggests that Parris’ internal conflict as a result of his power-cravings have percolated out into his outer-self, thus showing the inevitable way power-lust leads to a state of discontentment. Through this, Miller demonstrates the complexities of human behaviour, in that he urges responders to strive against humanity’s innate  tendencies towards inner conflict and exalt themselves to a state of tranquility.

Furthermore, Miller highlights another pervasive manifestation of internal conflict as the innate tendency to conform to hysterical situations. Miller criticises this ideology, and promotes critical thinking and individuality as the path to inner peace. Miller highlights that although this resistance to wont is a difficult behaviour, it is a necessary one, and thus reveals the complexities of human behaviour. Miller achieves this through the ever-regressing character arc of Reverend Hale. When he first arrives Hale is characterised as brimming with tranquility, embodied through Miller’s authorial intrusion when he states that Hale’s goal is “[light, goodness and its preservation]”. Nevertheless, as the court begins to try people, Hale suppresses his internalised belief that their incarcerations and rulings are unjust, in order to conform to society’s purportions. This is exacerbated as Miller suggests that “there is a quality of guilt” about Hale, “even of deference, to show how conformity engenders inner conflict. This notion is furthered in the final act, where Hale’s conformity has led to rampant murder. Hale is characterised as brimming with internal conflict, as he screams “There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!”, showing how the inner tendency to conformity ultimately results in extreme inner conflict. Miller thus demonstrates the complexities of behaviour when shaped by conflict, in that he implores the audience to rise against their conflict to reach tranquility.

Nevertheless, and most importantly, Miller purports that tranquility is indeed possible, but only through strict adherence to integrity. Miller highlights that although the human experience is pervaded with tendencies for inner conflict, Miller implies through his play that responders must never submit to power-lust or conformity and instead must exalt themselves to a place of contentment. Although Miller characterises Parris as someone who possessed “very little good” and Hale as someone who was riddled with guilt and thus inner conflict, Miller promotes John Proctor as a character who achieves tranquility through maintaining integrity. Although he is faced with numerous external threats, Proctor undergoes severe internal conflict as “the magistrate lies in his heart who judges him.” Furthermore, Proctor’s internal conflict is accentuated as he revokes his integrity in order to save his life. This is encapsulated in his hyperbolic reduction of his value as he screams “I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang”, exemplifying the internal conflict he experiences as a consequence of redacting his integrity. Nevertheless, Miller makes salient the tranquility that is bestowed upon him as a result of retaining his integrity as demonstrated  by his exuberant expression ‘Now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor.” Thus, Miller urges the audience to strive against their natural desires for power and conformity, and by extension, inner conflict, to maintain integrity, as embodied by John Proctor.

To conclude, Miller presents the notion that although the human experience is pervaded with innate tendencies to crave power and to conform to the masses, Miller highlights that the only way to exalt oneself above conflict and to a state of inner peace is through fighting the aforementioned desires and maintaining integrity.