Theme of Reputation in The Crucible
The Crucible Essay Theme: Reputation Though it was written in the 1950s in the era of McCarthyism and takes place during the Salem Witch trials, The Crucible is still relevant today. It is a complex play about the dark nature of humanity, how fear and hysteria lead to blame, scapegoats, destruction and cowardice, how power structures influence who has agency and who doesn’t, how some groups of people are more easily swayed than others, and ultimately how belief and religion are two very different things.You will write an argumentative essay in which you analyze a recent event through the lens of The Crucible, explaining how it is either a type of modern day witch hunt, or it has the danger of becoming one.Some topics to consider: The presidential election, the outing of Harvey Einstein and others, the targeting of certain ethnic groups as terrorists, kneeling during the American anthem at NFL games, social media “witch hunts,” #metro, freedom of religion, the campaign against refugees, etc… I’d like it to be something within the last ten years please.There are many ways to organize this paper. You could focus on one thematic idea—like on fear and hysteria. Or you may want to focus on power. Regardless, your paper should explore how the event is a type of “witch hunt” or at least has the potential and why. You will also want to relate it to The Crucible as you write, explaining what is either similar or different about the two.Requirements Length—3-4 pages MLA formatting Introduction with a clear thesis that addresses the prompt Supporting body paragraphs with evidence from Sources: 2, not counting The Crucible
