| how much time elapses between the end of act 3 and act 4? | about three months have passed, and its roughly fall |
| why do sarah good and tituba talk about the devil so openly? Do they believe in what they are saying? | -they have already confessed their witches, so they’re trying to convince everyone their telling the truth-they dont believe in what their saying |
| why is rev. hale at the jail? | trying to convince people to confess to save their skin |
| what requests does paris make of danforth? why? | to postpone the execution because paris is trying to save his own skin |
| what has happened to abigail? | she and mary louis have disappeared along with paris’s money |
| why is paris anctious to postpone the death of rebecca nurse and john proctor? | Because they are people that are admired members of the community |
| what does danforth give as his reason for not being able to pardon those who refuse to confess? | 12 people have already been hanged for thee same crime, and to pardon the other people would be unjust |
| why is elizabeth proctor brought to see john? | to convince him to confess |
| what does hale mean when he says to elizabeth “cleave to no faith when faith brings blood”? What other reason does he give for it being better for john to confess? | -she owes no allegiance to a theocracy that is so inflexible and unjust. she must convince john to fonfess even though she and hale know he will be lying.-Hale says “it may well be god damns a liar than he who throws his life away for pride” |
| how does elizabeth react too hale and danforth? why? | She thinks they’re trying to trick her because she has no faith in them |
| how has proctor changed? | he is bearded and filthy. he walks slowly, and his eyes are misty |
| what happened to giles corey? What was his purpose? | -he was pressed to death with heavy stones for not answering his indictment-to keep his land safe for his sons, and away from putnam |
| what is john’s objection to being hanged? does he seem to fear losing his life? | -he says he would look like a saint, and he does not consider himself to be one-he does fear losing his life, he fears losing his children |
| what is elizabeth’s advice? what apology does she make? | -he must decide for himself -she tells him it was her fault he had the affair, and never realized what a good man he is |
| at what points in his confession does proctor falter? | when he learns his confession must be written and posted on the church door, when he’s asked t identify others with eh devil, when he’s told to sing the confession, and when Rebecca is brought in |
| what does proctor mean by “what others say and what I sign is not the same!”? | -many people will not believe what danforth says because they know people are confessing to save themselves, but if john signs the confession then it is he who says its true |
| why do you think john proctor made the decision he did? do you think he made the right decision? | -to save his good name for his family-i think he should have confessed |
The Crucible – Act IV Questions
February 28, 2020