During class this week, I wondered how events like the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare can cause such shocking consequences. In a few days, society can flip upside-down
and the ones you know to be honorable and robust are shipped to jail and
sentenced to death. Not because of murder and robbery, but because of accused
charges with no evidence to prove. What is it about human nature that makes
such hysteria possible?
It is in human nature to feel
insecure about themselves. The actions and influence of one's surroundings
cause him/her to become anxious and troubled about himself/herself. Whether you
are Albert Einstein or President Barack Obama, everyone has the universal fear
of the unknown. Sometimes, the unknown may be a benefit to humanity; however,
the possibility that the unknown may be malefic terrifies many.
Some people find that the only way
to make them feel better about themselves is by making other people feel
inferior in order to inflate themselves to superior beings in society. In “The
Crucible by Arthur Miller, Abigail is a 17-year old orphan, automatically
placing her in the lowest rung on the social ladder. At her current rate, she
will be going nowhere in life and will be a maid for the rest of her life. She
has no power and importance to the society and has no one to care for her.
Obviously, she feels a need to change her position, and she takes her
opportunity when the community swirls with rumors of witchcraft. She diverts
the attention of her witchcraft in the woods to acts of witchcraft by social
outcasts and later, respectable people in society like John Proctor,
Elizabeth Proctor, and Giles Corey.
The world is fragile. Everyday life is fragile. The only thing holding these thin threads together is common sense and sagacity. However, hysteria removes the clear sense of mind and logic and replaces it with the flaming fires of uncertainty and irrationality.
I agree that human nature is full of insecurity. I, myself, do fear the unknown because we all tend to think of the worst possible scenario. I also like your analysis of Abigail's intentions, explaining her thought process as she contemplates on her future.
ReplyDeleteI like how you took the social position discussion deeper than we did during class. Not only, is she a woman in a male-dominated society, but she is also an orphan. You're also right in saying that hysteria destroys the thin threads that keep society on the correct path, and eventually leads to a society governed by mob-mentality.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that everyone feels a degree of insecurity, but I doubt that the world is as fragile as you claim it to be. Humans have the ability to adapt, and history has shown that time and again, people will rebound from whatever calamity befalls them.
ReplyDeleteWhen i say the world is fragile, I mean that little things here and there can cause the world to break down. For example, one act of terrorism on September 11th 2001 caused the whole world to put their full resources to fighting terrorism, especially the US. Humans definitely have the ability to adapt from any calamity, but I'm just saying that one event can change your life, and that one event can change the world.
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