Lessons from The Crucible

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible shortly after his ordeal with the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. The play is set in Salem, Massachusetts during the time of the witch trials- and of course the setting for the story works metaphorically. The play works on many levels, one of which is what happens when mass hysteria takes over a community, and because of fear, neighbor turns on neighbor. Pretty soon past hurts combine with selfish motives and town's people who once worshiped in the same church began to cry, "I saw Frances Nurse with the devil! I saw Goody Proctor with the devil! I saw Sarah Osborne with the devil!"

We are made in God's image and are rational creatures. When we sense a current of suspicion and anger swirling up and trying to pull us in, hang on to the anchor of scripture- perhaps, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Resist crying, "Witch! Witch!"