Encountering Conflict - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Encountering Conflict

The Crucible

At the heart of The Crucible lies ‘Ideological Conflict’. All sub-conflicts derive from adherence to ideologies, opposition/challenge to ideologies and institutional powers, the limitations of ideology and the contested state of the human condition.Slide2

Ideas explored in The Crucible

Arthur Miller explores a range of ideas associated with

Encountering Conflict

including

:

Different types of Conflict

Causes of Conflict

The Consequences of ConflictSlide3

Types of Conflict

Salem is shown to be a society overwhelmed by Conflict. Including:

Religious Conflict

Conflict with the land

Conflict with the American Indians

Conflict between factions or groups in the community.

Personal conflict between individuals

Internal conflicts of individuals.Slide4

Lets Recap!

The majority of residents in Salem in 1692 were Puritans, who believed in the supreme power of God and were just as frightened of the Devil.

Early Puritans came to America to escape religious persecution in England and to establish a new society in which God’s law was held supreme.

They believed that the Bible and its message were above man’s law. The law was therefore based on the Puritan religious principles and was a means to salvation.

The Puritans settled in New England, and it was in these new colonies that they established a close-knit community governed by absolute religious faith and strict discipline.Slide5

The Puritans, 1692

The Puritans believed in predestination—that people were either born sinful and bound to a life in Hell, or they were destined to be saved.

Puritans believed in a life of hard work, self-discipline, and religious duty.

Those who engaged in gossip, dancing, drunkenness, adultery, and other activities which were seen as the work of the Devil and a threat to the conformity of the community were subjected to public humiliation and punishment.Slide6

The Puritans, 1692

Rules included:

No dancing

Read only the bible

Surveillance and reporting of those who do not attend church

The court tried religious cases

Torture was used to extract confessions

Unity and harmony was expected.Slide7

The Puritans, 1692

As the Puritan community became so concerned with protecting their beliefs and way of life that they were quick to judge anyone who differed.

“

In unity still lay the best promise of safety”

They refused to tolerate other views in case their own ideals were

“defiled and corrupted by wrong ways and deceitful ideas”

. Slide8

The Puritans, 1692

They believed they had to work to be redeemed by God and that the Devil was at work. Therefore their laws were strict with serious punishments.

Puritan’s followed a strict code of conduct and those who broke this caused conflict

The witch hunts that arise cause the town to question the moral guidance of the church – Proctor claims that “God is dead” in Salem because the Devil has brought insanity upon them.Slide9

Existing Conflict in Salem

ACT 1 & 2 reveal deep seeded conflict in Salem, including:

personal conflict

Conflicts surrounding the law and church

internal conflicts.

These existing conflicts are what causes the greater conflict of the witch hunt that is to come.Slide10

Personal Conflicts

Personal grudges exist between:

Abigail

and

Elizabeth Proctor

(caused by jealousy, revenge)

Abigail

and

John Proctor

(caused by lust, jealousy, revenge, Proctor’s guilt)

John

and

Elizabeth

Proctor (see Act 2)

Parris

and

Putnam

(over Parris’ appointment as minister. Putnam wants Parris to “move toward the abyss”. p. 23)

Ann Putnam

looks to blame

Tituba

and

Rebecca

for the deaths of her babies. Accuses Rebecca of murder.

Mercy Lewis

and

Abigail

don’t trust

Mary Warren

Proctor

is unhappy with

Mary Warren’s

work ethicSlide11

Personal Conflicts

Personal grudges exist between:

Proctor

believes

Parris

is ungodly “I see no light of God in that man” (p. 62) and greedy (land, house, candlesticks)

Proctor

and

Putnam

have fought over land

Putnam

resents

Rebecca

and

Francis Nurse

for stopping his brother-in-law becoming minister and for gaining wealth and status.

Parris

argues with

Giles

over his work conditions “I cannot offer one proposition but there be a howling riot of argument”(p. 34)

Giles

is blamed for any trouble that brews – “no man has been blamed for so much”. He is constantly suing people “a crank and a nuisance” (p. 43).Slide12

Community Conflicts

Existing conflicts within the community:

It is made clear that this is a place where disputes are common. Rebecca Nurse observes “This will set us all to

arguin

’ again in this society, and we thought to have peace this year!” (p. 33)

There are many hidden agendas: “There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fire within fires!” (Ann Putnam, p. 33)

Gossip is everywhere and is harmful “the rumour of witchcraft is all about”. p. 18

There is no public way of confessing sins, so people dwell on them, resulting in accusation and hypocrisy (p.27). Slide13

Community Conflicts

Existing conflicts within the community:

There is a lot of disapproval of Reverend Parris’ leadership

. Parris has “fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people” to him. – “there is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit”. p. 19

Putnam has resentment for factions within the community

who stopped his brother-in-law becoming minister

People therefore are beginning to question the religious teachings

. Abigails says “I never knew what pretence Salem way, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught”. A group has recently left Salem and made their own township – Topsfield (p. 32).Slide14

Community Conflicts

Conflicts within the community:

Conflicting ideas of what is good and what is evil

. Miller says of both Salem society and 1950s America that “Ours is a divided empire in which certain ideas and emotions and actions are of God, and their opposites are of Lucifer.” p. 37

There are obvious scapegoats in the village

– those who have little standing in society e.g. Goody

Osburn

(homeless and crazy) and Sarah Good.Slide15

Causes of the current conflict

There are multiple causes for the Witch-hunt

:

Personal grievances and revenge (the

Putnams

, Abigail,

Hathorne

, Parris)

Grief and loss (Ann Putnam, Abigail)

The desire for power and control (Parris, Putnam, Abigail) – fear creates unity “We must all love each other now” – Mary Warren.

Fear of accusation (the afflicted girls)

Fear of losing salvation and the Devil

The need to seek God’s justice (Hale)

The desire to uphold the law (

Danforth

) – “A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it”Slide16

Further Conflict that is created

Conflict over the nature of Good and Evil

: Elizabeth Proctor “I cannot think the Devil may own a woman’s soul, Mr Hale, when she keeps an upright way”. p. 66. Proctor observes that “Hell and Heaven grapple at our backs.” p. 74

The true nature of individuals is revealed

: “we are only what we always were, but naked now.” (Proctor, p. 75) –

Questioning the justice of the court

– Hale says “There is prodigious fear of the court in this country”.

Danforth

asks him “you surely do not doubt my justice.” (p. 88-89)Slide17

Internal Conflicts That arise

John Proctor

struggles over his lust for Abigail and guilt for what he has done. “The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you.” p. 55

He later struggles over whether to confess or to stay true to his name and innocence.

Elizabeth Proctor

struggles to forgive John.

In Act 3 & 4,

Hale

struggles to continue with the accusations when he sees that it is simply vengeance at work eventually declaring “I quit this court!” p. 105

Giles

– “He’ll lay in jail if I give his name!” (p. 87)

Mary Warren

must decide whether to tell the truth or give into the pressure from Abigail and her own fear. Slide18

Consequences of Conflict

Innocent people are killed because good people maintain their integrity – Giles, Proctor, Rebecca

Social division is increased due to the extent of arrests and hangings of innocent. “This way, unconfessed and claiming innocence, doubts are multiplied, many honest people will weep for them and our good purpose is lost in their tears.” p. 112

The disappearance of Abigail and Mercy Lewis reinforce this doubt. They are now referred to as “harlots”. p. 114 Abigail becomes a prostitute?Slide19

Consequences

Loss of faith - Hale asks Elizabeth to lie for John “cleave to no faith when faith brings blood.” p. 115

The Court tries to maintain order and control by enforcing the law, resulting in mistrust of it’s justice. Proctor tells Elizabeth “Show honour now, show a stony heart and sink them with it”. p. 125

Parris loses his position and leaves.

Land of some of the victims is left to ruin – their hard work is for nothing.