How are women portrayed in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”? Essay

In Arthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible†, we are faced with an interesting psychological question: What would happen if the lowest social rank attained power? After all, in the time of the Salem witch trials, women suffered because of their low rank and were expected to submit themselves to men. However, instead of portraying strong female figures, which combat outdated beliefs of a woman’s duty, this play casts women as weak creatures whose only access to power is through dishonesty and manipulation. Although Miller’s portrayal of women seems to fit with the prejudices against them of the time, the family-oriented women who remain honest throughout the play possess less power than the unmarried female teenagers who wantonly sentence people to death. Elizabeth Proctor and Rebecca Nurse are two of the least powerful women in The Crucible, while Abigail Williams relishes her newfound power, attained by accusing innocent citizens of practicing witchcraft. Both Elizabeth and Rebecca dutifully serve their families, and the community that ultimately betrays them. Although Elizabeth never confesses to witchcraft, only the fact that she is pregnant saves her. As the Puritan leaders would never sentence an innocent unborn baby to death, Elizabeth’s life is spared until its birth. Rebecca Nurse, on the other hand, is eventually executed despite the fact that she always presented herself as an upright, God-fearing woman. However, the honest accused were more often than not the ones who lost their lives during both this period and the McCarthy era that the book serves as a commentary on, as they were not willing to confess to a crime they did not commit. For these reasons, one could argue that Miller agreed with the misogynistic prejudices dominant in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Women with power only use it for evil; those suppressed by men remain good and honest. Abigail doesn’t adhere to Puritan ideals, instead following her selfish desires; she pursues and seduces Proctor, even though this is a sin for which she should be repentant, according to the Puritanical mindset of the times. The teenage girls who comprise the low social rank who come to power are surprisingly one-dimensional, seemingly driven only by their feelings. Since the play can be read as an allegory to the anti-Communist investigations during the  McCarthy era, perhaps their characters aren’t fully fleshed out because they only serve the play as â€Å"villains†, a parallel to those in the McCarthy era who accused others of being Communists. Miller simply wants to portray them as people who are motivated solely by their own selfish gain. The entire ordeal delivers a misogynistic undertone of a woman’s only interest being a man, as Abigail is willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent people to be with John Proctor. However, at the same time, it underlines the fact that people during the McCarthy era were only interested in benefitting themselves, and had no regard for the consequences of their actions. The prime example of this is Abigail Williams, a main character in the play. She resents Elizabeth Proctor, convinced she is the only thing keeping her apart from John Proctor, with whom she had a secret affair1. In fact, the events in the play are all set in motion by this hatred, as she persuades Tituba to engage in the practice of witchcraft with her and her friends and, after being discovered and accused, realizes that blaming different people of practicing witchcraft can effectively remove them from society, as this is basically a death sentence. She wields this power to deflect all blame onto Tituba and several of Salem’s other second-class citizens. 2 Once reproached by the community for rumors of her adultery, she now accuses them of a far worse sin: devil-worship. One would think this character would require a rich backstory and complex personality; Abigail’s motivation never seems to grow beyond simple jealousy of Proctor’s wife and a desire for revenge against her, with no remorse for the 19 innocent people whom she sentenced to death. Mary Warren serves as a counterpoint to Abigail. Although she causes a lot of harm and sends people to their deaths as well, she does not do so out of malice, but rather because of her weak and subservient nature. She is convinced by Abigail to participate in accusing people of practicing witchcraft, but feels guilty for causing their deaths. When Proctor is furious over the arrest of his wife, she agrees to confess to lying about her accusations, however revokes her confession when Abigail accuses Proctor of witchcraft. Mary always sides with the stronger power, too timid to oppose it, thereby both representing the weak-willed people of Salem and symbolizing the McCarthy era. Ann Putnam isn’t weak, but she is described as weak-minded, introduced as a  twisted soul of forty-five, a death-ridden woman, haunted by dreams.3 Multiple stillbirths have most likely caused this mental instability.4 While other people are trying to ascertain the identities of those involved in witchcraft, she frequently suggests names so that others can blame them, and constantly analyzes other people’s actions.5 She also causes panic through a show of fear and anxiety, as well as using false information to influence others. Lastly, Tituba is part of an even lower social rank than Abigail and her friends, as she is a house slave. Although she admits to practicing witchcraft, her fate is never revealed. This ambiguity over what happens to her emphasizes that whether these girls are witches or not is not actually important. When analyzing all major female characters, it becomes clear that Miller portrays women as behaving rashly and irrationally when they are in a powerful position. Abigail Williams uses it to eliminate enemies, only to attain the love of a man, while Ann Putnam paranoidly accuses people of witchcraft to explain the deaths of her unborn children. Worst of all is Mary Warren, who is so gutless and unable to think for herself, that she just bends to the strongest will.

Analyzing a Political Campaign Advertisement Essay

Analyzing a Political Campaign Advertisement - Essay Example In the video it is even stated that â€Å"No one has been more consistent† which suggests the very same. He has stuck to his guns for a long period of time and would not defer his stance to someone else. Ron Paul believes in good governance which can only be attained when there is unity of purpose and thought. The audience gets manipulated by the stance that has been manifested by Ron Paul. Argument The argument for this video campaign ad emanates from the fact that Ron Paul wants the audience to believe that whatever problems there are within America today are because of the leaders who have said one thing and gone about adopting a totally opposite route. Ron Paul firmly believes in the premise that now is the time to make amends and elect people like him who will bring a fresh change and new perspective to the fold. The advertisement seems credible due to its authentic use of the information and statistics. Also quotes have been made use of which provide credibility to the e ntire cause of the Ron Paul campaign. Ron Paul has added sources within the advertisement to show that he means business and that his opponents have failed to deliver within the thick of things. The advertisement concerns more on the opposition yet the candidate has made his representation clear as well. Ron Paul is a name to reckon with and he has shown this through his advertisement. What is most important is how well he has struck a contrast between himself and the opposition that exists around him. The image/persona that the candidate is trying to portray is that of a true and genuine leader who speaks the correct thing at all times. He is a visionary who believes in making his point clear through logic and sound reasoning. The best part about his image/persona is that he has stuck to what he thought in the past and carried it forward with the advent of time. The candidate Ron Paul is trying his best to appeal to traditional American values and for that he has taken a stance to stick to what he was preaching in the past as well. He does not want to build a new America as such but wants to change beliefs through solid actions and practical steps which remain significant on any given day. The facial expressions of the candidate are of pain and anguish. He has felt worse about the present day American affairs and these are demonstrated on his face. His emotions are therefore filled with sorrow but his eyes are focused on something good that is about to come for the Americans. The emotion of the advertisement gives the viewers the impression that if they choose Ron Paul, they will decide their better future and would see light at the end of the tunnel easily. As far as color aspects are concerned, the video makes use of the colors which depict the American flag more than any other colors to give a very subliminal message that Ron Paul believes in the American premise more than anything else. The montage gives a very personal look and feel about the candidate. This is because his past works and recollections are displayed in the montage and viewers have a fair enough idea regarding his past undertakings, actions and statements. The candidate is portrayed here through a direct contrast of the opponents and then what he suggested some years back to what he is saying in the present day and age. The emotional appeal of the video

Operation Department Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Operation Department Project - Term Paper Example tions, since â€Å"the food service industry consists of a wide variety of different businesses, including institutional providers and food contractors† (Enz 28). As part of our uniqueness before starting Sky Rise Hotel, what we had noticed is that many hotels have grocery stores, liquor stores and food stores that offer genetically engineered food, which poses serious health risks to consumers. â€Å"Providing a bed, bathroom, television and phones are hotel basics, but additional amenities and services are common† (Enz 30). Therefore, we decided to open a 3 star hotel that strictly offers natural foods. This was the foundational basis and is the pillar of strength. Our hotel is environment friendly as we use clean energy for all our operations that require the use of energy. All of our materials are recycled, we use water from our boreholes, the sewer system has been devised to harness bio fuel which we use as heat in cooking, solar panels with batteries are spread ou t in the entire hotel, and recently, we started taping wind energy. The hotel vehicles are fuel efficient and plans are underway to purchase electric cars and solar cars after a deal with Nissan motor company (Patterson et al. 23). We serve as an example that it is possible to completely get off the grid, since as a hotel, we are self sufficient. This model will enable us to study and discuss the main hotel operating procedure used to establish a high level quality of foods offered, and quality professional services in the facility. We will be able to recognize and assess the basic hotel activities, assess and examine the process of procuring hotel services, recognize and look at financial factors. A reader will be able to explain and give facts on the dangers of genetically engineered foods (Enz 12; Patterson et al. 40). Sky Rise Hotel will make sure there is enough food for the number of guests expected, and catering services will be vigilant in this area to make sure that all the foods and

Statement of purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Of purpose - Personal Statement Example My masters in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) has helped in honing my skills in dealing with others, especially students. I taught in two national schools ( Al-Batool and Makkah). My actual experiences as a teacher gave me the opportunity to conceptualize and implement effective ways in ascertaining order. As a teacher, I had to inspire learning among my students since leaders are sources of encouragement and motivation. I observed that ineffective leaders do not inspire others to act on goals. Moreover, I had to make wise decisions in response to the uniqueness of situations. Leaders ought to decide efficiently when facing uncertainties. Any judgment may be vital to the nature of the future and may affect others’ situations. Generally, leaders need to know how to think and act concerning various social situations and different kinds of people. I have come to understand the social processes involved in teaching. There were also a number of enlightenments regarding people’s personalities and ways of absorbing information. These aptitudes are affected by their culture and innate characteristics. I also recognized that I need to consider each person’s uniqueness if I want to have a successful communication with him. With my involvements, I realized that I am responsible, well organized, independent, cooperative, conscientious, patient, and hardworking. In the future, I aim to be successful in the education arena. I am fortunate enough to know what and who I really want to become. This self-knowledge has led me to conceptualize of steps that may help me achieve greater objectives. It is a vocation that seeks to make significant changes for tomorrow’s generations. It is also a profession that has a lot of intrinsic motivation. There is no greater bliss than the feeling of making significant changes in the lives of young minds. I have also seen that certain changes should be made to fully cater to the varied needs of pupils. F or instance, the issues on language barriers and cultural differences must be fully addressed. With these concerns in mind, I am enthused to take up Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice. This is the ideal course to help me in being involved in empowering fairness in schools as well as communities. With the numerous crises that the world is going through, this course can prepare me to identify issues associated with education and how to act on them. To further cultivate my career, I have acknowledged that it is very essential to participate in higher forms of education. Indeed, learning lasts for a lifetime. This can be better attained by enrolling in schools with programs featuring excellent curricula. This is the main reason why I want to study in Loyola Marymount University. It is an institution boasting accreditations, excellent faculty, and competitive facilities. Personally, its mission to encourage learning of the whole person and to promote justice with the service of faith is vastly cogent. This is tightly connected to the field that I want to focus on since it is all about integrity and equality. â€Å"Scholars in the field of education prepare thousands of future school leaders every year†(Capper, Theoharis, and Sebastian, 209). However, are they being prepared to implement justice in their professions? If given the opportunity, I particularly would like to look into operational educational leadership programs that can benefit

The Cranes by peter meinke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cranes by peter meinke - Essay Example The bare plot of the story is quite simple: a couple who have mated for life are driving on the seashore and watching the Whooping Cranes, which also mate for life. They admire the cranes and wish that they could see a mating dance. There is not any time to wait, because the woman has a terminal disease. We are never told what the disease is, but we can guess at lung cancer from her coughing. At the end of the story we are not quite sure what will happen, but the author hints that the husband will kill the wife and then himself. The most ironic note in the story is that Whooping Cranes were once almost extinct, but are now a viable population. We might wonder if humans who mate for life are as lucky. We learn all of this in a just a few pages, because the writer uses what we now about the cranes and what most people know about the controversial subject of euthanasia is also used. The description of the tall and stately cranes hints at how the author see the two people, dignified. This is a mainstay of the euthanasia controversy, that people have the right to die with dignity. We find out how old the couple is by the conversation. The man says that he has been coming for years and never seen a Whooping Crane. When she says they make the little birds look like clowns makes him mention that he could use some laughter. This prompts her to wonder if this is the right things to do. She says she feels responsible. It is then that we get a fuller picture of this couple, who have, apparently, been married a very long time. He answers her statement that she feels responsible with a list of all the things he cannot do, and we realize that his health is not very good. At this point we do not know that it is she who is terminally ill, but her statements hint at this. At first read, we might assume that this couple do not believe in God. However, that is not really what is said. She mentions a time when he got

Summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Summaries - Essay Example Among these sources of threats include malicious codes, industrial espionage, malicious hackers, loss of some physical and infrastructural support, incidences of employee sabotage, fraud and theft, errors and omissions, and threats to personal privacy. A computer virus is a code segment that is capable of replicating by possibly attaching copies of it to existing executable files, implying that viruses can exist in a computer without infecting the system; not unless one opens or runs the malicious program. It is majorly spread by sharing of infected files through emails and removable disks. A worm, on the other hand, is a self-replicating program or algorithm which has the capability of creating copies of it and thereafter executing without the requirement of a host program or user interventions. Just like in the case of viruses, worms exploit the use of network services to propagate itself to other hosts systems within the network topology. A Trojan horse is a program which performs a desired task, however, which also includes the unexpected functions. After installation or running of the Trojan horse, it gets activated and starts to alter the desktops by adding ridiculous active desktop icons; deleting files and destroying other information on the systems; and creating backdoor on the computer systems to offer malicious users the easy lee-ways into the system. Its unique feature that explicitly distinguishes it from worms and viruses are that it does not actually replicate/ reproduce by infecting other files. A Blended threat is rather more sophisticated in the sense that it bundles the worst known features or viruses, worms, Trojan horse and malicious codes. For its aided transmission, it can exploit the server and the linked internet vulnerabilities to initiate, and thereafter transmit by spreading its attacks to other various systems interlinked within the network structure. Blended threats are characterized by

Personal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal letter - Essay Example Different games would be Operation, Sorry, and CSI board games. The Beatles, The Bee Gees, and Korn are music from different generations. I had to research online about different generations. American schooling was another aspect of the book I read. American schooling is easier that in my homeland. American children also do not go year round. The texts are not as expansive as I am used to. The chapter of Living in a Postcolonial World was enlightening. This chapter showed how American society is made up of many cultures. Every major culture can be found in America. Globalization has made American borders less daunting. The Internet has also promoted globalization in America. In The Buddha of Suburbia, I learned a person does not have to be classified. Karim was Indian and British; gay and straight. Karim faced prejudices because he did not belong to one group or culture. The sex was a bit graphic, but it made the point clearer. This story also shows how post colonialism confuses identities. This story also shows that every individual has a unique story. Not all Indians have to be the same. Due to my cultural differences, I like to work alone. This way no one can see how I struggle with the English language. I can use the library and other methods to check my work. Spell check and hours at the library have helped some. When I did work with others, the experience was pleasant and beneficial. I like my classmates. They are friendly and helpful. My tutors are also very patient. The schools environment is good to learn in. The academia I have learned in America is altered from the schools in my homeland. I thought American schools would be very easy. I could not have been more wrong. Even though I took English courses back home, the courses here are more difficult. Due to my limited English, my need for a tutor, and my performance in class, I deserve no more than a C. I wish I could recommend