The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692. The epidemic of the trials spread rapidly throughout the town of Salem after a group of young Puritan girls were discovered performing witchcraft in the forest. The Salem conflict developed from a misunderstanding. It’s a conflict we still live in, still trying to discover its resolution. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Thomas Putnam highlights greed and the urge for power that is so strong it causes vengeance to come alive. Putnam knowing the government was corrupted held to his entitlement and in efforts to gain more power.
Thomas Putnam's bloodline gave him such entitlement that he regarded himself superior to most. When the loss of seven of his unborn children took place it wasn’t surprising to find Thomas using the witch trials for his own self-pity.“ How may we blame ourselves? I am one of nine sons; the Putnam seed has peopled this province. And yet I have but one child left off eight-and now she shrivels!” (Miller 34) Thomas Putnam was the eldest son of the richest man in the village and comes from an untitled family. Therefor Thomas is used to great fortune because of such high…show more content… Thomas Putnam is the definition of believing oneself is deserving of privileges or special treatment based on his or hers’ social status. The Crucible shows how quick Thomas was to accuse Rebecca; without any reasonable accusations of attempting to kill his last child. This represents human nature that when things go bad we are quick to blame it on others. Thomas Putnam uses the witchcraft trials to his advantages as the urge for power grows. The more land, the more power, the killing of people like Giles in the competition for potential wealth means nothing to an entitled man like Putnam. The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692 but yet society and its values of money, power, and fame are still the
