Examples Of Paranoia In The Crucible

In The Crucible, many individuals in the Salem community lost their lives due to the fictitious thought that witchcraft had arisen in the town. Likewise, many civilians died as a result of police officers belief that the general public preyed on them. This type of paranoia can lead to the destruction of lives. Statistics show that rather than the citizens hunting down police officers, the media exaggerated this idea. This media tactic unnecessarily endangers innocent lives. The idea of a “witch hunt” does not only happen in stories, it has a role in the everyday lives of Americans.

In The Crucible, did witchcraft actually exist? No, it did not. Does a rising war against police officers really exist? No, it does not. Paranoia, fear

and suspicion based on the intention of others, plays a major role in both of these. In 2014, fifty-one officers died in the line of duty, while in 2013, only twenty-seven officers died. With the thought of a war rising against the officers, they became awfully paranoid. Although, Seth Stoughton stated in the article Is There A ‘War On Police’? The Statistics Say No that, “2013 was the safest year for police officers ever. The safest year in recorded history.” The number of police officers shot has actually decreased, 2013 continues as an anomaly. The news media ran with the story of increase police shootings from 2013-2014 without giving an important statistical fact that 2013 remains the safest year in history. Planting this seed in the officer’s brains may have led to the increase of killing unarmed civilians. Paranoia, or a troubled mind, remains the cause of innocent people losing their lives.
The articles, A year of reckoning:Police fatally shoot nearly 1,000 and Is There A ‘War On Police’? The Statistics Say No, reveal that the emotional instability of the police officers has led to the loss of innocent lives. In 2015, police officers fatally shot approximately one thousand civilians. Police officers have to make a split second decision on whether or not to end the life of another person. The misconception that the public wants to harm the police officers has compelled them to end the lives of more innocent people than usual. Civilians unarmed or armed with a toy weapon made up thirteen percent of the fatal shootings. One in ten civilians killed by police officers, have no weapon on them. Black men account for forty percent of the ninety-three unarmed civilians killed, yet black men make up only six percent of the population. The delusion that police officers’ safety continues as threatened and stereotyping that one race appears more intimidating than another caused this fact to remain true. In approximately 248 out of 991 fatal shootings, the police officer did not appear under attack by the victim. Previously mentioned, this fact displays the true unbalanced mind of the police officers.
The Crucible relates appropriately to the problem of police officers shooting unarmed civilians, both remain a “witch hunt.” For example, the Mearkle vs.

Kassick case links very well to the play. Lisa Mearkle, a police officer, shot unarmed David Kassick due to an expired inspection sticker, an innocent mistake. Mearkle’s paranoia led to the murder of Kassick as to Abigail’s paranoia, of getting into trouble, led to the death of many individuals in the Salem community. Mearkle made Kassick helpless by tasing him until he fell to the ground, in comparison, Abigail made the covenanted Christian women of Salem defenseless by accusing them of witchcraft. These women could not lie due to their beliefs. As Kassick squirmed in the snow, he lifted his head slightly and his life ended. Mearkle fatally shot unarmed Kassick twice in the back, on the other hand, Abigail’s accusations sent the innocent people to their death. The assumption that Kassick had a weapon, led to his death. While Abigail’s accusation of witchcraft caused many members of the Salem community to lose their life. In The Crucible, as well as, in the battle between police officers and unarmed civilians, many innocent people lost their life due to a phony “witch

hunt.”
All things considered, many innocent people die as a result of sudden actions. Paranoia has a major role in these sudden actions, the police officers paranoia led to the killing of innocent civilians and Abigail’s paranoia led to the killing of honest members of the Salem community. The police officers delusions that the general public wants to violently harm them, has generated an increase in innocent people losing their lives. Truly, “witch hunts” occur today just as they occurred in the late 1600s. Over four hundred years later and the same principles still apply.