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The Crucible

Wondering if anyone was doing the AQA English Lit exam next Monday and was doing The Crucible.
Anyone have a clue on possible characters or themes?
Might reread the play if I have time.

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Maybe Danforth or the Putnams? I don't know about themes though.
Reply 2
I think Elizabeth, the Putnams or Danforth are likely to come up
Reply 3
Hi there :smile: today I did the Scottish Higher English exam and I dont know if they are similar but they asked about a troubled relationship- so I picked John and Elizabeth Protors stuggle to get over Johns affair and how 'cold' Elizabeth is blah blah... so I recommend you look at their relationship dynamics :smile: The main themes are inner conscience, religion, witchcraft, mass hysteria etc. Again, I dont know if Englands exams are similar to Scotlands but I thought I'd reply anyway :smile: hope this helps!
Original post by Laura980
Hi there :smile: today I did the Scottish Higher English exam and I dont know if they are similar but they asked about a troubled relationship- so I picked John and Elizabeth Protors stuggle to get over Johns affair and how 'cold' Elizabeth is blah blah... so I recommend you look at their relationship dynamics :smile: The main themes are inner conscience, religion, witchcraft, mass hysteria etc. Again, I dont know if Englands exams are similar to Scotlands but I thought I'd reply anyway :smile: hope this helps!


Oh that's interesting, I shall do some more revision on relationships. How did your exam go? :smile:
Reply 5
Oh it went well thanks! :biggrin: Does your exam have close reading in? Just curious...
Reply 6
...Destiny?

Yeah, I don't study A-Level Eng Lit :colondollar:.
Hey :smile:
My teacher predicts Danforth. I really have no idea though. Hoping we don't get a question on a minor character :/
Original post by _ariane29
Hey :smile:
My teacher predicts Danforth. I really have no idea though. Hoping we don't get a question on a minor character :/


Yeh, if it ends up being Francis Nurse or Tituba its game over; doubt it will be though. Based on other threads it looks like Danforth, the Putnams or Parris are most likely
Original post by KidDarkness
Yeh, if it ends up being Francis Nurse or Tituba its game over; doubt it will be though. Based on other threads it looks like Danforth, the Putnams or Parris are most likely


I feel like we'll get 1 theme question. Religion or justice would be perfect for me. Danforth I wouldn't mind though.
Original post by _ariane29
I feel like we'll get 1 theme question. Religion or justice would be perfect for me. Danforth I wouldn't mind though.


It's usually one theme question and one character question. Wouldn't mind any character as long as it isn't a really minor one but i tend to avoid themes just coz i find characters easier :biggrin:
maybe a bit irrelevant but I did this exam two years ago and there was a question on john and elizabeth's relationship dynamics so if you're one of those people who believe they don't repeat things that quickly then just take that in mind :smile:
Original post by KidDarkness
It's usually one theme question and one character question. Wouldn't mind any character as long as it isn't a really minor one but i tend to avoid themes just coz i find characters easier :biggrin:


Ohh okay that's weird I find themes much more easier than characters :smile: I work better with themes, I don't know I feel like everything is more relevant that I want to include. The only time I would choose a character over a theme would be if it was Proctor :tongue: But I want to be more confident with Danforth so I'm going to do a practice essay now :smile: In timed conditions.
Reply 13
anyone wanna share essays?
here is mine on reputation
the characters in the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, have a lot of pride. They are all known as good citizens, for one reason or another, and they all would like to keep their good name. John Proctor would like to be known as the man who sticks up for the little person and always does the right thing. Reverend Parris is known for being the churchly figure that lives by the bible and its teachings. Judge Danforth wants to be known as a steadfast judge who always makes the right decisions. When put in a tough situation dealing with life or death, all of these characters choose to keep their reputations rather than do the right thing or saving their lives. The importance of having a good name is a very prominent theme in The Crucible.John Proctor is the model citizen. He has good morals and tries to do the right things. He protects the innocent and does not budge from his beliefs. He has built up a lot of respect for his name. That is why it is hard for Proctor to give up his good name. Everyone sees him as the good guy. For example, Proctor had an affair with Abigail Williams. He can use this evidence in court to show that she is guilty, but he is reluctant to. He tries to find other ways to prove her guilty without losing his respect. Also, Proctor is able to get away free if he agrees to sign a paper saying he was an ally of the devil. He struggles to lie that he did work with the devil. When he is asked to sign a paper saying this, he can’t. The document would be hung on the church door for all to see. His reputation would be ruined. He stood up in court to save peoples lives by saying the truth, and it didn’t work. Proctor is able to save his own life by lying, but he just can not. He sees the others go down as noble people. It is not right to lie, so Proctor tears up the document and hangs with the others. He could not live with the guilt that his name would be tainted forever.Reverend Parris does not want his good name to be tarnished either. Parris is known throughout the town as the churchly figure. Most citizens do not like his personality, but he is respected for his belief in religion. During the trials, Parris knows deep down that some of the people are not guilty. However, if he were to stand up for them and say they are innocent, he would be going against the bible. When he says that someone did not see the devil, he himself would be accused of making a pact with the devil. Parris has no respect other than his respect for being very religious. If he were to loose this respect, he would be ruined. He would be treated very poorly and he could do nothing about it. Parris can not loose his good name.Lastly, Judge Danforth is known as a stolid judge who makes the right decisions and does not back down from them. Eventually, deep down he realizes that he is hanging innocent people. He knows that Abigail is putting on a show. Unfortunately, he has sentenced too many people before realizing this. If he were to back down, he would be showing that he killed innocent people and that he was wrong. He is known as being just and right. His name would be ruined. He could not do anything to gain his respect back. He would be questioned for his decisions in the past. He would loose his job. This is why Judge Danforth will not give up his good name.Having a good reputation is very important in The Crucible. It means you can be accepted by society. If you do not have a good name, you will be completely rejected. John Proctor would no longer be thought of a morally straight and righteous person. Reverend Parris would loose all his respect and not be accepted by society. Judge Danforth would be constantly questioned and loose his job. Keeping and maintaining your good name is an overwhelming theme in The Crucible.
Original post by huzza
anyone wanna share essays?
here is mine on reputation
the characters in the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, have a lot of pride. They are all known as good citizens, for one reason or another, and they all would like to keep their good name. John Proctor would like to be known as the man who sticks up for the little person and always does the right thing. Reverend Parris is known for being the churchly figure that lives by the bible and its teachings. Judge Danforth wants to be known as a steadfast judge who always makes the right decisions. When put in a tough situation dealing with life or death, all of these characters choose to keep their reputations rather than do the right thing or saving their lives. The importance of having a good name is a very prominent theme in The Crucible.John Proctor is the model citizen. He has good morals and tries to do the right things. He protects the innocent and does not budge from his beliefs. He has built up a lot of respect for his name. That is why it is hard for Proctor to give up his good name. Everyone sees him as the good guy. For example, Proctor had an affair with Abigail Williams. He can use this evidence in court to show that she is guilty, but he is reluctant to. He tries to find other ways to prove her guilty without losing his respect. Also, Proctor is able to get away free if he agrees to sign a paper saying he was an ally of the devil. He struggles to lie that he did work with the devil. When he is asked to sign a paper saying this, he can’t. The document would be hung on the church door for all to see. His reputation would be ruined. He stood up in court to save peoples lives by saying the truth, and it didn’t work. Proctor is able to save his own life by lying, but he just can not. He sees the others go down as noble people. It is not right to lie, so Proctor tears up the document and hangs with the others. He could not live with the guilt that his name would be tainted forever.Reverend Parris does not want his good name to be tarnished either. Parris is known throughout the town as the churchly figure. Most citizens do not like his personality, but he is respected for his belief in religion. During the trials, Parris knows deep down that some of the people are not guilty. However, if he were to stand up for them and say they are innocent, he would be going against the bible. When he says that someone did not see the devil, he himself would be accused of making a pact with the devil. Parris has no respect other than his respect for being very religious. If he were to loose this respect, he would be ruined. He would be treated very poorly and he could do nothing about it. Parris can not loose his good name.Lastly, Judge Danforth is known as a stolid judge who makes the right decisions and does not back down from them. Eventually, deep down he realizes that he is hanging innocent people. He knows that Abigail is putting on a show. Unfortunately, he has sentenced too many people before realizing this. If he were to back down, he would be showing that he killed innocent people and that he was wrong. He is known as being just and right. His name would be ruined. He could not do anything to gain his respect back. He would be questioned for his decisions in the past. He would loose his job. This is why Judge Danforth will not give up his good name.Having a good reputation is very important in The Crucible. It means you can be accepted by society. If you do not have a good name, you will be completely rejected. John Proctor would no longer be thought of a morally straight and righteous person. Reverend Parris would loose all his respect and not be accepted by society. Judge Danforth would be constantly questioned and loose his job. Keeping and maintaining your good name is an overwhelming theme in The Crucible.


This needs a few essential things necessary for achieving Band 5 or 6. Firstly there are no quotes which immediately drops you down I believe. Even though you've referenced the different Acts/events there aren't any direct quotations. Secondly there's no techniques identified. Without referencing HOW Miller presents the theme of reputation (i.e. the devices he uses) you're limiting your response to low Band 5/Band 4. You need to be analysing the techniques used to get top marks. There's no reference to WHY Miller presents reputation as important like you say its an overwhelming theme in the Crucible but WHY is this? Talk about context like what this means in 1960s McCarthyist America. Also try to address effect on the audience. I think you're essay is a decent foundation but there's a lot that could be done to improve it. You've identified key points but just need to delve in deeper. I suggest using this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVkbZOxAh10 to structure your answer, with a bit of context it definitely hits the top of Band 6
(edited 8 years ago)
Thought the exam wasn't too bad, which question did everyone go with?
I went with Parris as betrayal seemed to freak me out a little.
I also went with Parris because I've never answered a theme question in past papers before so I wasn't sure how to approach it.
It wasn't my best - I was hoping for Danforth or Tituba, but it could have been much worse I suppose.
Reply 17
I went with betrayal but I really didn't think it went well.
Reply 18
i also did parris what did everyone write about him? i wrote about how he is represented right at the beginning and used the quote about the villinous path in history and some other ones. i think i did ok but i was sure it was going to be danforth so had mostly prepared for him but never mind.
I wrote about how materialistic he is (quotation from John Proctor about preaching golden candlesticks), how Miller introduces him in a negative way, and how he lacks the respect of other characters and therefore has less power

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