The Crucible Article

In Salem, Massachusetts today, three more people were hanged at dawn. John Proctor, Martha Corey, and Rebecca Nurse lost their lives after not confessing about their apparent engagement in witchcraft. Accused by the word of the girls who were once their house helpers, and who have now become officials of the court, they each stood before hundreds of people of the town who witnessed the three. Each one standing in front of a rope as they recited the prayer in unison, and were hanged one after the other.

John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey and Elizabeth Proctor, who was with child, remained in prison for a few months after being accused. During a certain time, John Proctor gained permission to see his wife Elizabeth Proctor. Elizabeth narrates, that at the time, “there be many confessed” although, besides these four. It came down to Proctor having to chose one of the two options; confessing to which-craft and having his life with his wife and kids, or pleading for his innocence and his life, which would never return. “I want my life” he declared as Elizabeth certifies.

This is when Hawthorne makes him sign a document stating that he is a part of witchery. Hale reveals that he refuses to hand-over the papers, and that Proctor claimed that “You have all witnessed it- it is enough”. He was then questioned why he cannot simply sign his name and be given his life and set free, Elizabeth says that she knew the answer even before Proctor mentioned “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!”. Later, Proctor tears the paper and crumples it. This move on its own, defined his future; defined the following, promised hangin’.

At first, the main two out of the three that were accused, were Rebecca Nurse, who was known throughout the town as a very generous healer, and Martha Corey. John Proctor was not found to be guilty and accused by the girls from the start. Instead, he was put into this situation after his attempt to save his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, accused by Abigail Williams, from being hanged. Two sides were managed to be captured about these events, and as to why Elizabeth Proctor was arrested. Reverend Hale reveals that “Abigail were stabbed; a needle were found stuck into her belly”. Proctor on the other hand believed something different, and knew that Marry Warren was well-aware of the same. Marry Warren mentions that he ordered her, “You will tell the court how that poppet come here and who stuck the needle in”.

She says that she was afraid that Abigail would “Kill me for sayin’ that”. She says that she warned Proctor that “Abby’ll charge lechery on you”. Instead, John Proctor himself confessed about being a lecher. Abigail refused to comment about Proctor’s confession, she responded “If I must answer that, I will leave, and I will not come back again”. She also claimed that she witnessed a yellow bird brought by Marry Warren. Gradually Abigail and the girls leave off, until only mary is left there.This is the beginning of when Proctors mission comes to its peak of failing. Marry Warren claims and says to Proctor “You are the Devil’s man”. Proctor, defenseless and without evidence, then accept defeat and states “I say- God is dead!”

Rationale:

This is the first free written task that we were assigned this year, which is why I chose to pick something that was close to a normal piece of writing. I wanted to get familiar with this text type; something I am more familiar with, before moving to something complexed, which i am unfamiliar with. I also find, that I am less panicked when a piece of writing comes with a specific and clear format to follow. IN order to write a newspaper article, it is imperative to work around a specific formula and a given template. Moreover, I find it more easier to work with the information that is already presented in the book, rather than coming up with dialogues or information that people may have shared- this includes some skill in paying attention to characterization and the language used. As a writer of this article, I intended myself to be one of the scribes at the court scene where Abigail Williams, John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor are present before Danforth.

This incident then lead to the death of Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey and John Proctor. Whilst witnessing this, I became especially interested in John Proctor’s life, and the journey that led to his death, somewhat by his own terms. This is when i decided to set out and research about this, carrying out interviews, and the producing a newspaper article about recent events, focussing on John Proctor’s journey to this occurrence. Throughout this paper, I managed to follow the correct structure with the appropriate language, I included quotes, which helped bring some instances across, and I cited my sources, which included the book The Crucible and sites that I used to help me with structure. I explained the situation- his journey with the correct quotes to support the instances I narrated, precisely and directly from the book.