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The Crucible Playbill Project Essay

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Peter Bocompani Mrs. Wasley English 10H 6 March 2023 The Crucible Playbill Project My playbill focuses on many aspects of The Crucible, and it also includes lots of symbolism connecting to the play. For example, the dark forest in the background of the playbill symbolizes the evil of humans, as it is a “dark” and “threatening” place where the devil is said to live. The forest is also the place where the girls are accused of doing witchcraft at the beginning of the play, leading to the town of Salem’s negative view of the woods. In the play, Reverend Parris says, “‘Why, sir - I discovered her - indicating Abigail - and my niece Abigail and ten or twelve other girls, dancing in the forest last night’” (Miller 36). This quote from Parris shows …show more content…

In the play, the evil yellow bird is perched in the rafters of the courtroom and is preparing to attack everyone. Due to Abigail’s powerful personality and dramatic display of emotion, she convinces everyone else in the courtroom that the bird is real, terrifying them. The yellow bird symbolizes mass hysteria and the effects it can have on a large group of people in a short amount of time, as it creates drama, fear, and terror in the courtroom in a matter of seconds. During this incident, Abigail says, “‘Why - ? She gulps. Why do you come, yellow bird?’... To the ceiling, in a genuine conversation with the ‘bird,’ as though trying to talk it out of attacking her: ‘My face? My face?! But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary’... ‘Oh, Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth; it‘s God‘s work I do’” (Miler 106-107). This entire exchange between Abigail and the imaginary bird illustrates how she is lying and is crazy, as she is trying to force the blame onto Mary Warren. By making it seem like Mary Warren is the bird who is trying to tear her face apart, she is creating chaos and hysteria, while also causing Mary Warren to have a mental breakdown, turning her from a calm, honest girl to a hysterical, mentally deranged one.

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