Finding Loopholes to Stay Out of Trouble Essay

Submitted By kilrpunishr
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the choice of the many various issues in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one might say that the issue regarding how the girls manage to stay out of trouble by lying and finding ways around death might be one of the more important issues throughout the entire text. In the very beginning of the story, the scene shows all of the girls dancing in the forest. According to Miller, the girls were dancing because they were placing a charm on the boys that they loved so that the boys will love them back. It is not clear if the girls did or did not know that witchcraft was punishable by death at the time but assuming that they did since they are all religious, the assumption that they were ready for whatever consequences that may come their way can be clearly made. Little did they know, Reverend Parris was watching them and when they finally saw him they broke out in panic. Betty, being the youngest, quickly thought up of a way to “buy time”. When Betty was lying inert on her bed, the other girls were not aware of what she was doing because none of them has discussed what they will do if they were ever caught. It is clear to the audience that Betty is faking the “coma” and that she is only trying to help herself. Betty sets up the situation of “every man for himself”. In fact, when the girls are in the room and Parris leaves, Abby says to Betty,” I talked to your papa and I told him everything. So there’s nothing to—“(331-33) and as soon as she says this, Betty jolts off the bed and yells, ”I want my mama!”(335). Betty’s sudden action shows that she is shocked and does not know whether to believe what she just heard or to deny it, but she needs some type of response so she picks a simple phrase. Although implied, when the girls gather up in a room and realize that they are alone, they do not take the chance to talk about what they will say in court. It seems as if most of the girls in the group rely on Abby to make decisions for them. In the movie, the scene in the forest in particular, Abby was dead center stage and she was the focus of the picture foreshadowing that she would be the main character of the group. During a court session after Mary Warren has been accused, Abby repeats after Mary” She sees nothin’!”(1024). When Abby repeated the first phrase alone after Mary, All of the girls quickly lined up and did what Abby mentally told them to do. This shows how Abby takes the lead and commands them. It is as if Abby has a little devil on her shoulder telling her what she needs to do to somehow twist things and get out of trouble. Abby is mostly depicted as being young, evil and unemotional towards other peoples life but there is at least two traits that make her
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