Arthur Miller's The Crucible And Social Media

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Recommended: The crucible as a social tragedy

Arthur Miller’s principal purpose in his literary masterpiece The Crucible was to connect the absurdity and senseless nature of the Salem witch trials with the similar effects of 1950s McCarthyism, in which our country began extreme persecution of Communists. However, Miller’s story has a third connection in today’s culture and society, in the “witch-hunt” style politics still continuing in our government and the exploitation of people’s humiliations and inner “demons” in the digital age. The Crucible is still as relevant as ever in contemporary culture, and has influenced my thoughts about the importance of recognizing one’s place in the community in relation to themselves, and avoiding unnecessary prejudice towards others. When the “Red …show more content…

While social media can be an exceptional tool for connecting with others and gaining valuable information, it also can be easily transformed into a playground for senseless arguments and cyberbullying. Just as Abigail Williams used elaborate accusations towards innocent people for her benefit, people engage in plenty of finger-pointing and fear-mongering daily. The shame and fear generated by this is not far from the craze of McCarthyism from half a century ago. Furthermore, social media can be a catalyst for the destruction of privacy: there is no limit to how much one can share. Everyone in “The Crucible” has inner humiliations that haunt their minds, from John Proctor’s adultery to Reverend Hale’s inner moral conflict towards Salem’s trials. Today, with one click, these personal demons can easily be set free. “The Crucible”, through its unusual staying power, has greatly influenced me and my thoughts. I now strive to avoid the unnecessary prejudice that has plagued victims of everything from the McCarthy era to today’s fear-mongering social media. I also take into consideration who I am, what my place is in the community, and how I can maintain a positive balance within myself and with others. This is the power of “The Crucible”, a story that one can still relate to after 63 years, a story that still provokes questions for our own eerily similar

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