Arthur Miller creates dramatic tension Essay Example for Free

Arthur Miller creates dramatic tension Essay The Crucible is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It starts when Parris, the local- and rather unpopular- reverend in Salem discovers his daughter Betty, niece Abigail and many other young women from the village dancing and chanting in the forest, led by his slave Tituba. Tituba is from the West Indies, so has a set of traditions and beliefs which seem very alien to the Puritan citizens of Salem. When Betty and another girl involved in the dancing dont wake up the next day, and just lie in a trance-like state, there are rumours of witchcraft afoot. With the arrival of Hale, an open- minded but overly righteous witch- hunter, Abby and Tituba claim to have been possessed by the spirits of witches in Salem. Abby, along with some other girls, start accusing many people. Those who confess to devil worship are saved; those who do not are charged to be hanged. In court, the girls faint, and claim to have terrible pains and see horrific visions, all induced by the witch on trial. Their tactics are powerful, so those conducting the proceedings do not really consider they may be faking. Also, no one dares express sympathy for those charged, for fear of being accused themselves. As Abby and the other girls become court officials, people are wary of crossing them. Abby is a very overpowering character. She is seventeen and ravishingly beautiful. Whilst working as a maid for Elizabeth Proctor, she had an affair with her husband John. Abby still has feelings for him, and consequently despises his wife Goody Proctor. In the forest, she cast a spell to try and kill her. The affair has created a lot of tension between the married couple, and it seems John has never quite won back his wifes trust. When the couples maid, Mary Warren, reveals that Elizabeths name has been mentioned in court when witchcraft was being discussed, Goody Proctor is desperate for John to appeal to the court before she is formally charged. This is because Abby revealed to Proctor there was no witchcraft involved in Bettys trance-like state, claiming, She just took fright, is all. Proctor is a highly passionate man, who can be hot-headed. He has to live with the terrible guilt of his affair, which he greatly regrets. He still has feelings for Abby, but he is too ashamed of his weakness in character to do anything about them, seeing what the initial affair did to his relationship with his wife. He still loves Elizabeth, but succumbed to the beautiful girl who had been a temptation to him whilst his wife was ill. When Hale arrives at their house to question the couple, Proctor questions Hale to see whether he has considered the fact the girls might be lying, and reveals what Abby told him. This appears to send Hale into turmoil. Before Proctor has a chance to make an official complaint, Cheever arrives with an arrest warrant for Elizabeth. She is one of sixteen arrested, along with other respected women like the godly Rebecca Nurse. Giles Coreys wife, Martha, is arrested because he informed Hale he found it difficult to pray when she was reading. Proctors servant Mary knows Abby is making false accusations, so he forces her to tell the court officials of this the next day. Act Three takes place in a courtroom. It is the site where many have been condemned to die and many horrific accusations have been made, so there is already an ominous atmosphere. It is then that we are introduced to Danforth, a court judge with a very rigid view. Proctor, Corey and Frances Nurse, husband of the condemned Rebecca, are all anxious to prove their wives innocence. Mary Warren has come to admit she was faking, but she is petrified about speaking out against Abby and the possible consequences. When it is revealed Elizabeth is pregnant, and therefore will not be hanged for around a year at least, Proctor is given the option of accepting this and doing no more. However, he feels he has to save the others who have been charged as well. To Danforth, this seems to suggest Proctor is just trying to undermine the court rather than just save his wife, as he initially claimed. To us, it is evidence of Proctors bravery and conscience. Hale, who has in the past acted quite righteously and tried to root out witches, finally sees that Abby may be lying. He decides to support Proctor, which might put pressure on Danforth to accept that some of the condemnations were untrue. If Danforth admits this, however, he will be publicly disgraced, as he will be seen as responsible for the deaths of many innocent citizens, based on juvenile, callous accusation. The climax of the scene is brought about by Abbys quick- thinking. She is relieved when Elizabeth lies about the affair, and sees the moment as her chance to turn the situation to her favour. She, and subsequently the other girls, claim to see a yellow bird, possessed by the spirit of Mary Warren. Abby does this to pressurise Mary into lying again, to avoid being condemned as a witch. The scene becomes highly charged as Proctor and the others struggle to convince Danforth the girls are faking, Abby becomes more hysterical and Mary is in a dilemma about whether she should listen to her conscience and risk being condemned or lie to save herself. There is conflict between Mary Warren and Abby. Before all the witchcraft incidents, Abby was very dominant in her relationship with Mary, possibly resenting the fact Mary took her job when Elizabeth discovered the relationship between Abby and John. As Mary is used to be treated like an inferior, she is scared to speak out against Abby. Abby seems to be the more intelligent and powerful of the two, and Mary is afraid that if her claim against Abby is deemed a lie, then Abby will find a way to get back at her. Tension is created as Mary is under pressure from Proctor to admit she and the other girls lied and contributed to the execution of innocent villagers. In contrast, Abby is desperate for Mary to keep lying to avoid being exposed. As the audience, we are tense to see if Mary will overcome or succumb to the peer pressure. When Abby claims to see a yellow bird, this forces Mary into a decision to support her rather than Proctor. She is close to being tried as a witch and has to find a way to shift the blame, which is basically the foundation of all the trials. There is also a sense that her will is simply overpowered by Abbys will. The characters in this scene are all very important, and all contribute to the tense atmosphere. There is lots of conflict between them, causing a feeling of suppressed emotions that are being forced out. In particular, there is conflict between Proctor and Abby, and this is complicated by the fact that we know that Proctor is both physically attracted to and yet hates Abby. When Proctor admits to the affair he has so strenuously kept secret before, it shows the depth of the battle between him and Abby. Miller uses dramatic irony in this scene. We, as the audience, know that Proctor, Corey and Nurse are telling the truth and so we see through Abbys act and want the truth to prevail. However, characters such as Hale and Danforth have no evidence either way, but are perhaps pre-disposed to believe Abby as they have executed people on her word (and would lose face if it became known she was lying). Miller plays with us, and builds up the tension, by alternately giving us cause to hope that the truth will be revealed and to fear that it will not. For example, there are times when we are led to hope that Danforth will give credit to what he is told by Mary, as, contrary to what Parris advises, he does hear her out, and, in response to Parris immediate denunciation, states, it strike hard upon me that she will dare to come here with such a tale. Similarly, there are times when Hales response gives hope. He admits to always having had doubts about Abby. However, we lose hope when Danforth orders that those who signed Giles petitions must all be arrested, when Abby convincingly protests her innocence, and when the girls claim to be affected by witchcraft. Proctors dramatic revelation of his adultery with Abby looks at one point as if it may sway Danforth, but our hopes are dashed when Elizabeth denies he is a lecher, believing she is doing so in his best interests. When Mary is won over by Abby, we see that Abby has decisively triumphed. After the drama of the girls hysteria, we are left feeling deflated. To conclude, Miller uses a variety of tactics to create tension. He uses theatre techniques like dramatic irony to do so. The conflicting characters are also a major contributor. The scene is a battle between good and evil, and the constantly changing winning side makes us tense. There are moments where everything looks hopeful but then the evidence is turned around to go against what it proves.

Racism versus Civil Rights Movement Essay -- African-American Civil Rig

"Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation." -Coretta Scott King, page666 The 1960's were a time of great turmoil in America and throughout the world. One of the main topics that arouse was black civil rights. In my essay I plan to compare the difference of opinion between these particular writers and directors, towards racism and the civil rights movement in the 1960's The movement truly got underway with civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King jr. and Malcolm X in the early 1960's. Students who wanted to bolt on the equality and protest bandwagon quickly followed. Most of the students went to the Southern states (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, etc.), to stop the racism and hate crimes. The truth of the matter is that the violence and abhorrence would get worse before it got better. The Klan became stronger and more violent, committing many more lynching and gruesome murders. Bit by bit most of the Caucasian Americans came around to the idea of integration, and did not believe that the African Americans as a 'threat' anymore. The only reason that this great monumental change occurred was because of the great leadership of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King jr., and not to mention the thousands of other less famous civil rights leaders, that worked to change the views of their community. There also where lobbyist and protesters that risked there lives and went out on a limb to struggle against injustice. All factors, put together, made one of the better most changes of the twentieth century. Rob Rheiner (the director of Ghost of Mississippi) has successfully portrayed the blatant dishonesty towards blacks by the police force and Mississippi courts. On one occasion when the accused murderer was in court, the Govener of the state went up and shook hands right in front of the victim's wife. Another example of dishonesty against blacks was that a retired judge had taken home murder weapons (mainly from the African American murders) and kept them as souvenirs. It was later discovered that the police officers had also taken home evidence from crimes against the African Americans, for souvenirs. The murderer portrayed a "couldn't care less" attitude during the first trial in 1962 and the retrial in 1992. He knew that he would be f... ...e a fatal mistake, many times. Quotes "We don't except Jews because they reject Christ and have control of international banking cartels, they are the root of what we call communism today. We do not accept papists, because they bow to a Roman dictator; Turks, Mongols, Tartars, Orientals, or Negro's because we are here to protect Anglo-Saxon democracy for Americans."(page 3) "One day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls as sister's and brother's."(page 3) "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it's creed."(page 2) "Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation." -Coretta Scott King(page1) Bibliography Bibliography The Ghost of Mississippi; Rob Rheiner; Columbia Tristar; 1992 Bernard Aquina Doctor; Malcolm X; 1992; Writers and Readers publishing inc. Kira Albin; Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, and the Heart of a Woman Who Changed a Nation; 2000; Zondervan Publishing House Mississippi Burning; Alan Parker; (I don't know the company that produced it); 1988

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Essay

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level .c rs om 1123/11 ENGLISH LANGUAGE Paper 1 Writing Additional Materials: * 4 0 7 9 5 7 8 4 2 9 * October/November 2011 1 hour 30 minutes Answer Booklet/Paper READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST If you have been given an Answer Booklet, follow the instructions on the front cover of the Booklet. Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in. Write in dark blue or black pen. Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid. Answer both Section One and Section Two. At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together. This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page. DC (CW) 33870/3  © UCLES 2011 [Turn over 2 Section 1: Directed Writing You are advised to write between 200 and 300 words. Total marks for this part: 30. Task Recently you witnessed a major disturbance at a railway station when many people were injured. You are asked by the local police to write an account of what you saw. Write your account. You must include the following: †¢ when and where the incident happened and how close you were to the scene the cause of the disturbance and what exactly happened some of the ways in which people tried to help. †¢ †¢ Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your account informative and helpful for the police to show you are a reliable witness. Start your account ‘To the Police†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and remember to add your signature and the date.  © UCLES 2011 1123/11/O/N/11 3 Section 2: Creative Writing Begin your answer on a fresh page. Write on one of the following topics. At the head of your essay put the number of the topic you have chosen. You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words. Total marks for this part: 30. 1 Describe a time when you prefer to be alone and a time when you like to be part of a crowd. (Remember that you are describing the atmosphere and your feelings, not telling a story.) 2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of attending either a small school with few students or a large school with many students? 3 Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘As we entered the building, the other people smiled as if they knew something we did not.’ 4 Bullies. 5 Write a story about someone who returned to a village or town after a long time away. (You should include full details of why the person went away to show that it is an important part of your story.)  © UCLES 2011 1123/11/O/N/11 4 BLANK PAGE Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity. University of Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.  © UCLES 2011 1123/11/O/N/11

American Dreams and Nightmares Free Essay Example, 750 words

Sur American Dreams and Nightmares It takes no character to judge, but a sharp eye. The implication of a judgement does not necessarily have to anchor on the personality of the involved characters since individuals can judge others irrespective of their wanting lifestyles. Apparently, such a perception may be oriented to the expectations of the American dream, hence outlining the probability of the development of the American nightmare. The short story by O’Conner assists in the shaping of this perception. Developing a criticism against others needs to be anchored on the ideal virtues embraced by the involved persons. People tend to rush towards judging others when their own personalities are a reflection of the exact errors they criticize. The case of the grandmother in O’Conner’s short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, articulates on how persons can be blind on their shortcomings but remain keen on exposing others. The grandmother has a library of challenges, but seems to be offering them a blind eye. Her opinions may be described to be oriented on the attainment of the American dream while in reality she is living the nightmare of the same. We will write a custom essay sample on American Dreams and Nightmares or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now She desires to present herself as being perfect whereas her shortcomings remain visible for all persons. It may be argued that the grandmother expresses double standards in reference to the rest of the opinions shared by others. The case of the African American child the family witnesses while on the way to Florida. She had cautions the children of speaking ill of their country but fancied the ill scenario of a britches-free child. She does not consider her excitement to mount to making inferior observations of her country. Such incidents of double standards assist in the shaping of her life. The American dream was categorized of success in three critical areas that were considered to define the ethos of the people. They included a regard for the freedom of the people, a sense of equality and the eventual touch of opportunities for all. However, the quest towards the realization of these interests eventuated into the realization of the opposite perception of the same. It may be argued that the American dream was a good motive that was undertaken in an ill way after being embraced by hypocrites. The lifestyle shared by the grandmother may be considered to summarise the entire concern. Achieving the American dream considered determination and a sense of social harmony. People were anticipated to share the expressions of victory and hope in regards to providing opportunities for all. Additionally, attributes such as the degradation of others, or discrimination in relation to the considered shortcomings were to be discouraged. Additionally, citizens were anticipated to cherish their freedom. Such values assisted in the shaping of the entire package of the dream (McDonald, 78). However, the dream may be regarded to have been eclipsed into a nightmare. The freedom was abused with crime prevalent to the extent of persons living in fear in their free state. The sense of equality was dismissed by critics who were keen to expose the shortcomings of others, best exemplified by the grandmother in the short story by O’Conner. The perception of opportunities for all was turned into a myth that considered such advantages being shared among the elite. The grandmother admits that indeed children living in lower sides are disadvantages by saying â€Å"little riggers in the country dont have things like we do† (Oconnor, 34). Such observations allows for the visualization of the American nightmare shaping from the American Dream. On that note, it may be argued that the grandmother is living the American nightmare that is guided by the virtues of the dream shared in her childhood. Her characters at old-age while being contrasted to her childhood perceptions allow for the shaping of the considered impression. The modern generation seems committed to achieving the prospective advantages mentioned by the dream in their unique way. The family seems concerned with the utilization of the available opportunities through their trip to the city. The portrayed contrast in beliefs allow for the reflection on the ideal impression generated by the different citizens regarding the American dream. The evaluation of the population allows for the visualization of the depths upon which the American dream is regarded. Some members of the aged population, such as the grandmother, tend to belief that their period of living the dream are obsolete. They instead propose and proceed to enforce the dream to their children and those that found their community. The younger generation seems to appreciate little about the dream, instead focusing on the avenues that may better their livelihoods (Obama, 26). The implication of the entire perception remains best captured under a composition of persons of different interests and aspirations. In conclusion, the work of O’Conner assists in the shaping of the path upon which the American dream was transited into being its nightmare. Characters such as the grandmother assists in shaping the path via their double standard approach to life. Their interest in judging the rest of the population without paying attention to their hypocritical lifestyles remains the best reference to the verification of the transition of the American dream. For the dream to succeed, persons need to learn the art of developing criticism against others. Prior to criticizing others, it is ideal to ensure that the considered virtues are upheld by own self. Work cited McDonald, Oonagh. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Turning the American Dream into a Nightmare. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2012. Print. Obama, Barack. The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. New York: Crown, 2013. Internet resource. Oconnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. Unknown, 2010. Print.