The Similarities Between McCarthyism and The Crucible
Communism was a serious controversy in America in the early 1950s. Framing someone or being framed was a common way of survival for those who have been accused of a secret conspiracy. Interrogations were practiced among those who were opened minded. Intellectuals were targeted the most. Citizens who were victims of unfair accusations lost their jobs and economical earnings for not giving evidence to the House of American Activities Committee, also known as HUAC. HUAC was an organization that targeted down people that have been claimed to be communist. Although this was a major event in U.S history, it’s not the first time a situation like McCarthyism has happened in America. The Salem Witch
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Insufficient evidence was given to HUAC and thus getting people to stand before the highest authority to testify. As stated in document D “ an invisible crime” Danforth and Hale are discussing whether who is guilty and who is not. ‘’ In an ordinary crime, how does one defend the accused?’’ Hale has signed Rebecca nurse to death. Having remorse to what he did he questions Danforth ‘’ I am a minister of the Lord, and dare not take a life without there be proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it.’’ Both seem to know some are actually innocent and had nothing to do with witchcraft. This also applies the same situation in document A “I did wrong to withhold these names” Mr. Kazan was put to testify before HUAC in Jan 14 1952. Although he failed to testify he later returned in april 1952 to give the testimony. As he says the names of the people who were apparently espionage of a secretive agenda, they were later brought on for questioning. Despite Mr.Kazan not giving enough evidence to the committee, they did no further research on the people who were accused by Mr. Kazan later on. This type of justice was an unprejudiced system in which the government made no effort to further investigate each individual's innocences. Safe to say that this evidence of both parallels gives an unscrupulous status in both their society and way of
The Crucible and McCarthyism are similar because they both name names of people,they had no clear evidence and they didn’t testify. They are both connected because in both documents A&B they named names of people and they falsely accused people of doing things they really didn’t do. For example in Document A” I did wrong to withhold these names”
In response to the second Red Scare, prompted by the accusations of Senator Joe McCarthy, Arthur Miller felt it necessary to express his political feelings through an author’s medium. Similarities are shown between McCarthyism and the Salem witch trials in the way Senator McCarthy gained power and control by inducing fear and hatred of communists in America, comparable to the fear and hatred of witches in the late 1600s. Miller shares that themes of paranoia and vengeance continue on even as society progresses, and presents The Crucible as an example to shed light on issues inherent with using accusations to gain power. With its ability to relate to a number of political situations in many countries, even as far as 50 years past its creation,
In the spring of the early 50s John McCarthy would go around America accusing innocent people of being communist spies. This era would be named McCarthyism and the red scare was also part of this era. This would set the stage for a story down the road. The crucible by Arthur Miller is an allegory for the red scare in the McCarthy era because of the false accusations, general hysteria among the townspeople, and proving of injusticing by authority/ accuser. Enter John McCarthy who first started his false accusations of supposed communists in America in the state of Wheeling, Virginia.
In the 1940 's and 1950 's, an anti-Communist movement swept the United States of America. Fueled by the anti-Communist actions of Congress, particularly a Senator from Wisconsin by the name of Joseph McCarthy, the movement escalated and many people lost their jobs as a result of various blacklists. Congressional hearings, both in front of HUAC and McCarthy Senate committee were a study in organized persecution. The actions taken during the "Red Scare" were eventually given the general name McCarthyism. McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.
The Red Scare was a movement during the Cold War in America. Communism was spreading throughout the world, and hysteria spread all over the United States that communist were among them. McCarthyism was a fierce campaign carried out by Joe McCarthy against alleged communist in the U.S government and other institutions. In response to McCarthyism, Arthur Miller demonstrates through his play, The Crucible, that lies are used to avoid consequences, too much power can become corrupt, and innocent people will suffer for crimes they have not committed even with a lack of sufficient evidence.
If one was accused of being a communist and didn’t admit to it or give names they could face jail or even death, though thankfully very few had to face this horrible fate. In the Crucible some people actually did escape being hanged, they could do this by confessing to being witches. Somewhat similarly, people who gave names of other Communists to the FBI would walk free. Unfortunately in the Crucible some people did give names, and during McCarthyism, this also happened and just led to more people either giving names of more people or being imprisoned.
Imagine the wicked House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) arrest an innocent man. The HUAC does not arrest the man because he has committed a murder, but because he is a communist. Many communists became victims of HUAC in the Red Scare crisis of the 1950s. These communists made the right decision to speak out for their freedom and against injustice. These communists also spoke out for their freedom of different beliefs.
Many have said that history repeats itself. This has never been more evident then with the tragic events that happened with the Red Scare and the events in The Crucible. Both deal with mass hysteria and how accusers are given power and use that power for evil. In both the accusers look down upon the rest of the society and just accuse away with your accusing finger. What we learn from both of these horrible events is that we should never look down upon others or accuse someone of committing an "immoral crime" without seeing or never or hearing what really happened.
The times back then were terrible. The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953 about The Salem Witch Trials of 1692.McCarthyism was the “witch hunt” for the communist in 1953.the parallels between The Crucible and McCarthyism are naming names,lack of proof ,and reststance. The first reason they are parallel is because of naming names. Hollywood director Elia Kazan went in front of the HUAC twice. The first time he did not confess and names.
The communist-hunt of the McCarthy hearings drew parallels to the equally far-reaching witch-hunts of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in that
People were terrified of communism spreading to the United States, so when accusations started floating around everyone would believe them. McCarthy accused people of communist behavior, although many were falsely accused, no one knew better than to think they were guilty because of how scared they were of communism spreading. This resembles how certain characters were accused of witchcraft in The Crucible. The Red Scare caused nationwide hysteria just how the Salem Witch Trials caused hysteria to the people of Salem.
When people are placed under an intense feeling of fear, they begin to commit actions they never thought they were capable over. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a young group of girls commit witchcraft which eventually leads to the arrest of over 100 women. This is similar to a time in the 1950s when Joseph McCarthy accuses government officials of communism and that ultimately leads to hundreds of citizens losing their jobs. The Crucible reveals the similarities between The Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s and McCarthyism of the 1950s because it demonstrates how a society can be tremendously impacted by the feeling the fear.
In the Crucible those who were accused of being guilty, put on trial, and who are expected to confess. Unsuccessful to that led to death. In McCarthy, the media were not disposed to stand up to Senator McCarthy for the fear of being accused of being a Communist. Fear is the main factor playing in both situations, terror of being accused or what people might say, or think.
McCarthyism was a vociferous campaign against alleged communists in the US government. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, although most did not in fact belong to the Communist Party. In these two events, many similarities
In the play, The Crucible, Salem, Massachusetts, along with the United States during McCarthyism, is engulfed with paranoia. Although both situations include different causes, their effects are strikingly similar. For instance, throughout The Crucible, Abigail Williams is being shown repeatedly accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Her actions begin sending the small town into a panic as they throw people into jail and hang them in an effort to try and cleanse the town from any aspect of evil. Similarly, throughout 1950-1954, Joseph McCarthy falsely accused people within the United States Government of being a member of the Communist party.