Red Scare Contrast Essay

Throughout history, certain circumstances and human desires led to problematic events. As a result, creative writers are often inspired to write about such events in their lifetime. The Trojan War inspired Homer, an ancient Greek poet, to write one of the most legendary epics of all time, the Iliad. Likewise, during the mid-twentieth century, loyalty and conformity to the wishes of the country were a must for the government and society for many Americans. This period in time—also known as the “Red Scare”—inspired many famous literary artists of that generation. In fact, the “Red Scare” inspired Arthur Miller to write his figurative play, The Crucible,and the essay, “Are You Now Or Were You Ever?” Although “The Crucible” is fictionalized, unlike

both essays, it still acts as a stinging satire on American politics. Therefore, the conflicts and themes in Arthur Miller’s drama, “The Crucible”, reflect those shown in the nonfiction selection about American society during the “Red Scare”.

Arthur Miller’s drama and the nonfiction selections about American society during the “Red Scare” suggest that the importance of a person’s reputation influences one’s actions. This reoccurs throughout The Crucible numerously because one’s reputation and social status is monumental to the Salem village. Salem’s societal pressures reveals a constant individual vs. society conflict. Abigail Williams is a prime example of someone who is faced with this predicament. In the middle of Act I, Abigail speaks disdainfully of Elizabeth Proctor to John Proctor saying, “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!” (The Crucible, 23-24). Afterwards, Abigail commits cynical acts, such as framing Elizabeth Proctor for practicing witchcraft by sending Mary Warren to give her a poppet with a needle in its stomach. After setting Elizabeth up, Abigail strikes herself with a needle

in the same exact spot as the poppet and tells the authorities that Elizabeth had made her do it. As a result, Elizabeth was jailed and sentenced to hang after her baby was born. In addition, the drama’s main authority, Judge Danforth refused to accept the possibility that he has falsely imprisoned and murdered most of Salem for a crime for which never existed. When confronted by Mr. Parris in Act IV and asked to postpone the hangings due to a possibility of retaliation, Judge Danforth responded, “I should hang ten-thousand that dared to rise against the law and an ocean of salt tears could not melt the resolution of the statutes.” (The Crucible, 129). Despite the whole entire town going against the court, Danforth refused to go back on his word because he believed that it would show weakness and indecisiveness in the court. Furthermore, he believed that his actions are for God and he essentially said that God, power, and the law is above everything and that his actions are justified. Danforth’s voice of belligerency also tells us that his reputation has made him feel no compassion or sympathy for those wrongfully punished when he says, “... an ocean of salt tears.” A parallel of this theme can be drawn from Arthur Miller’s essay, “Are You Now Or Were You Ever?” When Miller was told to identify the names of the writers he had met at communist meetings long before, he refused and righteously accepted the consequences that came along with it. On the other hand, Elia Kazan—one of the most honored and respected directors in Hollywood history—agreed to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. His reasoning for his actions was that, “... if he refused to name people whom he had known in the party - actors, directors and writers - he would never be allowed to direct another picture in Hollywood, meaning the end of his career” (Are You Now Or Were You Ever, 7). In order to keep his career and his good name, he was told to give away the names of people who were involved in communist activity. Just like any conformist, he did.
Arthur Miller’s work about American society during the “Red Scare,” also reveals to us that the intolerance of other’s conflicting ideas has negative effects on society.

In The Crucible, after the afflicted girls were seen by Mr. Parris, Abigail Williams warns them by saying, “Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam's dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” (The Crucible, 20). Abigail threatens the girls that if they spoke the truth, they would get hurt. As a result, the townspeople believed the girls and sought out to eradicate anyone that showed signs of witchery. This conflict of conformity blew out of proportions and eventually became the catalyst for the failure of Salem. Similarly, there is even evidence of intolerance within the group of girls. Towards the end of Act III, John Proctor brought Mary Warren to the court to testify against the girls. However as that occurred, Abigail and the rest of the girls begin to pretend that Mary Warren sent out her spirit in the form of a bird and attacked them. Confused, frightened, and overwhelmed, Mary Warren gives into the girls’ act and turns her back on John to the court saying, “He come at me every night and every day to sign… My name, he want my name. ‘I’ll murder you,’ he says, ‘if my wife

hangs! We must go and overthrow the court,’ he says!” (The Crucible, 118-119). In part of this “revelation,” John Proctor was sentenced to hang and the accusations of the girls still reigned truthful to the court. Salem slowly caved in on itself and became barren due to its ignorance. Comparatively, in Miller’s essay, “Are You Now or Were You Ever,” intolerance and its negative effects on society is apparent throughout. Harry Bridges, a respected individual of the west coast longshoremen, was “subjected to trial after trial to drive him back to his native Australia as an unadmitted communist,” (Are You Now or Were You Ever, 2). The unions believed that communists and anyone affiliated were to be stripped of membership and viewed as insurgent.
Miller also shed light on the theme of the dangers of irrational thinking and hysteria contribute dangerous effects on society. The reason why Salem failed as a society started with false accusations made from mischievous little girls. In the beginning of Act III of The Crucible, instrumental characters, such as John Proctor and Giles Corey, gathered and argued within the court. In an effort to expose the court, as well as defend and prevent more innocent people from being chastised, John brings Mary Warren to the court to testify. While John stood before the court, Judge Danforth asks, “Do you know Mr. Proctor, that the entire contention of the state in these trials is that the voice of heaven is speaking through the children.” (The Crucible, 88). As shown, the court relies on the accusations made by the children to catch witches. Although witchcraft is an invisible crime— meaning that the only people to have witnessed it would be the witch and the victim—the court should have took into consideration the amount of respectable leaders in the community, such as Elizabeth Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, being accused. People like Elizabeth and Rebecca who are well established in the community, should have been a red flag to the court that would suggest that the accusers are fraudulent. As a result, Salem fell to shambles. In the text, Rev. Hale confronted Judge Danforth of the destruction he has caused by saying, "Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots’ cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellion’s spoke? Better you should marvel how they do not burn your province!" (The Crucible, 130). Furthermore, the society not only fell due to the excessive executions and prison sentences, but also the negligence, corruption, and hysteria that took place. Similarly in Miller’s essay he talked about his experiences during the “Red Scare.” While going to his lawyers office to sign a contract, he was asked to go to the neighboring office to notarise his signature. As he continued his conversation with his lawyer, Miller mentioned how The Broadway was corrupt. Immediately, “The notarising lawyer said, ‘That’s a communist position, you know.’ [Miller] started to laugh until [Miller] saw the constraint in my Lawyer’s face, and [Miller] quickly sobered up.” This clearly shows the social tension that took place during the “Red Scare.” Anything remotely resembling communist beliefs, such as an opinion, put American citizens on edge. The “Red Scare” was a time where anything you say may put you at risk of being sent to court and questioned for being a communist. The uncanny similarities of both The Crucible and “Are You Now or Were You Ever?” reveal the inspiration of literary artists from historical events.
Without a doubt, the conflicts and themes in both Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the nonfiction essay, “Are You Now or Were You Ever?” reveal the recurring relationship between historical events and a writer’s literary work. Themes and conflicts, such as how a person’s reputation can influences one’s actions, has frequently occurred through time. Furthermore, the idea that the intolerance of other’s different ideas and dangers of irrational thinking has negative effects on society because it repeats itself in history and in literary pieces. Had authors, such as Arthur Miller, not been inspired by the historical events of their time, our society today may have never learned from their past mistakes.