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John Proctor. . The play’s moral compass and tragic hero. . Key moments for John. . We meet John in the first act of the play. He is disgusted with hysteria that has overcome Salem. .
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John Proctor. The play’s moral compass and tragic hero.
Key moments for John. • We meet John in the first act of the play. He is disgusted with hysteria that has overcome Salem. He stays under the radar during Acts 1 and 2. Consider the cause of his relationship problems as a reason for this… after all, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones!
Acts 3 and 4 • When Elizabeth’s name is dragged through the mud (she gets accused of being a witch) John gets up in arms. Of course, John’s affair with Abigail set the whole witch craft affair in to motion… On the other hand, John is still worried about his name and reputation being ‘blackened.’
Acts 3 and 4 • John uses Mary Warren’s false testimony to say that Abigail is a liar and a whore without confessing his adultery. He fails and confesses. • Proctor confesses as a witch and is arrested. He then realizes that his own confession as a witch has helped to perpetuate the cycle of hysteria that is Salem. Everyone is accusing everyone else…
Act 5. • Proctor’s pride and fear of the public’s response kept him from announcing his affair before, but he announces it in Act 5. He refuses to honour his written confession and decides to throw it out. Part of this is because Elizabeth forgives him and John feels like he can do the right thing. Althoug he dies for this, Elizabeth said to Hale “he have his goodness now” because he has died a man with a good and clean reputation again.
A few people have alluded to the fact that John isn’t good or evil, but just human. Many heroes usually have a ‘fatal flaw’ and John is no exception. John is complicated and an interesting character.
John- Good or Evil? • Supporting a point of view… • The class will be divided in half. Half of the class will argue that John is a ‘good’ man and the other half will disagree. Teams will earn two points for every new point they bring forward, and one point for every valid rebuttal. Teams get an extra point for every quote that they use and explain. Teams get ten minutes to collect their information. We will collect all the points on the board and create them to make our own notes on John.
Theme: Good versus evil. • The theme of good versus evil is often explored in literature. In this play, the good guy wins… at least morally! • The entire town bases their moral code on what is good (God) or evil (Devil). However, the reader starts to wonder whether the moral code is entirely correct as people start to be hung for crimes they haven’t committed. • Question: Give three ways that John helps us understand the theme of good versus evil (this might mean what we consider good or evil or what society considers good or evil). Write what you have learned about that theme through John’s character.
An important relationship. John and Elizabeth’s relationship is important as: • it helps us to understand more about John’s character • It helps us understand more about the moral code of the timeand what was acceptable/unacceptable • it helps us understand about Abigail’s jealousy and why the witch craft started.
The importance of their relationship for plot. • Their relationship’s problems begin the play because of John’s infidelity. • Elizabeth’s jealousy causes John to doubt himself and his reputation. • Elizabeth’s final forgiveness and belief in John causes him to do the right moral thing, but for that he ends up dead…
The importance for theme. Their us to understand the theme of jealousy because their relationship’s failings were the basis of Abigail’s ‘conjurin’ at the beginning of the play to get rid of Elizabeth. Their relationship makes us think about good and evil and hysteria and what we consider to be right and wrong. It shows us how something basic like a relationship can lead in to mass hysteria and death when people don’t think rationally. Their relationship makes us think about forgiveness and the importance of forgiving someone.
Scenes where we see the relationship. • Elizabeth and John talking about Abigail (Act 2) • Elizabeth arrested and Hale visiting their house (Act 3) • Elizabeth forgiving John at the end (4) • What importance does each scene have for the plot of the play? • Question: what does each of these scenes tell us about their relationship? • Use at least 2 quotes.
Essay planning. • You may want to write on either question: • 1. Describe an important character in The Crucible. Explain what this character helps you understand about a theme. • 2. Describe an important relationship in The Crucible. Explain what this relationship helps you understand about a theme.
Essay planning. • Have two to three paragraphs. For each paragraph, your topic sentence will be one important aspect/moment about the character or an important moment for the relationship. At the end of the paragraph, you would say what that aspect shows you about any theme. • Plan your essay over the weekend. Give some quotes for each paragraph. You may use this plan for your formal wrting.
Paragraph structure. • S E X Y • Statement • Explanation • eXamples (quotes, exact scenes or moments from the play and explain why you’ve referenced them) • whY is this point about character/relationship important and what does it help you to understand about theme.
An important event (courtroom scene) • Activity One- leading up to the court scene (mix and match in books) • Take notes about plot • Answer analysis questions and do the cloze exercise.
Timeline for term 3: • Wednesday: John and Elizabeth’s relationship. • Friday: An important event, performance and plot summary. Planning an essay for homework. • Monday: essay writing lesson one. • Tuesday: essay writing lesson two on computers (hand in Tuesday). • Thursday, Friday- The Crucible in class and short answer questions test due Monday. • Static image preparation and drafting Monday and static image due Monday week 10. • Last week- creative writing two periods in class.
