Examples Of Superstition In The Crucible

When people are exposed to fear, they will tend to make things up or create false ideas. Fear can cause people to do things that they would not normally do to survive. Some people do say fear does not breed superstition; however, without fear, superstition would not be. Fear breaks superstition; superstition breeds fear can be supported by the puritans ideology, religious beliefs, and their theory of the Devil is everywhere.

Individuals that are filled with fear can create false assumptions; therefore, connected to Abigail's actions in the story. Abigail would use her fear to manipulate people and spark the idea of witches in salem. She threatens her friends to keep their mouth shut and she says “I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (Miller 13). Abigail convinces her friends that if they speak any word of what they did in the woods, she would come in the night to kill them. She also uses her fear to create superstition while being questioned in court. She begins to scream and shout about a yellow bird on the rafters. She convinces all the others girls that they are possessed by Mary Warren which lead to the exposure of John Proctor. People that are filled with fear will often develop

that idea of superstition.
The puritans fear sparked superstition with their belief of the devil is everywhere.

Mrs. Putnam is a prime example of their ideology. Goody Putnam lost 8 children and only one survived; her name is Ruth. Putnam sent her only child to go into the woods to talk to Tituba and see if they can talk to the dead children. Putnam says ‘may surely tell us what person murdered my babies!” (Miller 12). Mrs. Putnam is willing to risk her daughter's life by sending her to the wood just to try and talk to her dead children. She believes that that are witches in Salem; even though, in the sixteenth century, death at childbirth was a common phenomenon. The puritan belief of “the devil is everywhere” fills them with fear which sparks that development of the salem witch

trials.
The puritans have mundane religious beliefs where witchcraft is the devil's work. John Hale is introduced when he is called from Beverly, and invited to Salem to prove if the town is in danger of witches. When he comes to Salem, he is easily gullible which leads him to make false choices. He soon suspects the Proctors of witchcraft when he goes to their house and talks to them about the commandments and not going to church. “I note that you are rarely in the Church on Sabbath Day” (Miller 33). He is so convinced that there are witches, that he doesn't find out till later in the story, that the girls are actually lying and making false accusation. At the point it is too late and people are dead for no reason. Puritans believe that the Devil is everywhere and when something goes wrong, they jump to the conclusion of devil work.
When people are bare to fear, they will construct false facts or ideas to cope with it. Fear can cause people to do things that are abnormal. Some people do say fear does not breed superstition; even though, with thoughts of superstition, there will always be fear. Fear breeds superstition; superstition breeds fear can be supported by the religious beliefs their theory of the Devil is everywhere, and their puritan ideology,