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THE CRUCIBLE

THE CRUCIBLE. By Arthur Miller. What was going on in History During 1940s and 50s?. WWII War in Korea Communist Advances in Eastern Europe and in Asia. COMMUNISM:. Anyone who undermined the government was labeled a “Communist”

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THE CRUCIBLE

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  1. THE CRUCIBLE By Arthur Miller

  2. What was going on in History During 1940s and 50s? • WWII • War in Korea • Communist Advances in Eastern Europe and in Asia

  3. COMMUNISM: • Anyone who undermined the government was labeled a “Communist” • Anyone who disagreed with the governmental policies or decisions was considered to be un-American…

  4. Alien Registration Act • Passed by Congress in 1940, made it illegal for anyone in the U.S. to advocate of overthrowing the government • Alien Residents over 14 years old had to file personal status and political beliefs

  5. Communist Party • Main goal of the ARA (Alien Registration Act) was to undermine the ACP (American Communist Party) • Mainly Left Wing political groups • Democrats

  6. House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) • Investigated people suspected of unpatriotic behavior • This was the best tool to discover those who were attempting to overthrow the government. • Investigated Hollywood Motion Picture Industry • 19 people accused of holding left wing views • “Hollywood Ten” refused to give accounts-as a result served 6-12 months in prison

  7. RED CHANNEL • Published a list of 151 writers, directors, and performers who they claimed were members of subversive organizations prior to WW2, but had NOT been blacklisted.

  8. BLACKLISTED: • All accused people remained on the list until they agreed to come forward and testify they had turned from their “Communist ways.” • YOU HAD TO GIVE NAMES, OTHERWISE YOU REMAINED ON THE BLACK LIST!

  9. Senator Joseph McCarthy… • The man behind it all

  10. Joseph McCarthy: Who was he? • Senator from Wisconsin • Feb 9th 1950: McCarthy made a list of 57 people in the State Department whom he believed to have Communist connections • People screened for more than having communist connections. • Interrogations included questions about their personal lives. • Backfired for McCarthy: he would be questioned about his alcoholism and sexual past.

  11. McCarthyon the RAMPAGE!! • He spent the next two years as part of a committee who investigated government departments and large groups of people about their suspicious political past • The only way to “save your own skin” was to name people who you thought were/are part of communist organizations (even if you lied).

  12. WITCH HUNT: anti-communist hysteria • This witch-hunt known as anti-communist hysteria is what we now refer to as McCarthyism • Politicians were unwilling to criticize McCarthy in Senate. • Anti-American books in libraries • As a result, 30,000 books associated with Communism were removed from the shelves.

  13. McCarthyism continued... • Opponents of McCarthy questioned his sexual orientation. • As a result, he married his secretary Jeannie Kerr to stop the accusations. • McCarthy targeted the military for anti-communist connection/activities • He attempted to have The Secretary of Army discredited • This made President Eisenhower mad (Eisenhower then tried to put an end to McCarthy’s activities)

  14. McCarthy Under Attack! • President • United States Army • Media • “In this long, degrading travesty of the democratic process, McCarthy has shown himself to be evil and unmatched in malice” (Louisville Journal).

  15. McCarthy’s Downfall • Lost position as Chairman of Government Committee on Operations of the Senate • No power: no media would publish his stories anymore. • End of McCarthyism (Late 1950s) • Died of liver disease, due to alcoholism, in 1957

  16. ARTHUR MILLER

  17. HISTORICAL FICTION • FICTION BASED UPON FACT • DISCLAIMER AT THE BEGINNING OF MOVIES • The Crucible is based upon an historical event: The Salem Witch Trials

  18. BACKGROUND • Born in 1915; Died in 2005 • Grew up during the depression • Intrigued with the events of 1940s and 50s • Wrote a Screenplay Called “THE HOOK” • Submitted screenplay to Harry Cohn (who showed it to the FBI) • He suggested to have the gangsters referred to as “communist.” • Miller realized this behavior was crazy

  19. WITCHCRAFT TRIALS • They began in 1692 • Miller read about the trials in college • Read book published in 1867 which held personal accounts of the persecuted in Salem • Miller visited Salem in 1952 • Read actual reports issued by Rev. Parris • Story of infidelity interested him because he was having troubles in his own marriage • John Proctor became his inspiration because Miller felt he spoke TRUTH • Caused problems because people became suspiciousabout the link between the Red Hunt and the Witch Hunt

  20. LINK • ARTHUR MILLER SAW A LINK BETWEEN McCARTHYISM AND THE WITCH TRIALS OF 1692 • Thoughts and intentions meant more than actual fact (true for both cases) • The more he read about the Salem trials the more interested he became

  21. THE CRUCIBLE • The language intrigued him • The Crucible took 1 year to write. • Opening night was on Jan. 22, 1953 • Nobody liked it • 1 year later it became a hit in Martinique • People liked the play because of the themes: • Relates to societal and personal issues • Hidden abuse situations • Mass hysteria

  22. Interesting Arthur Miller fact… • He was married to Marilyn Monroe for a short time… 

  23. YOUR QUIZ (next time…) • Will cover information from the video, packet, and power point • Short answer questions • You may use 2 of the 3 notes on the quiz (video, packet, or power point) • Worth: 30 points

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