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Act One ANALYZING CHARACTERIZATION AND MOTIVATION IN THE CRUCIBLE

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In life and in fiction, each person and character has motivations, which are forces and reasons that give people and characters a reason to act the way they do, or make the decisions they make. We can learn about a characters motivations and personality from the authors use of direct and indirect characterization. Direct characterization is when the author or narrator directly tells the reader what a character is like. For example, Jennifer is a fiery red-head with the tenacity of a mule. Indirect characterization is when the author gives information about a character and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about that character. Two of the ways we can learn about a character through indirect characterization are: The characters own thoughts, feelings and actions What other characters say or feel or how they act towards another character DIRECTIONS. As we read The Crucible in class, use the following chart as a tool to help you analyze the characters in the play. Be sure to write a detailed description with specific textual evidence for each character and provide a thorough analysis of what is motivating his or her actions in the play. Provide both direct and indirect examples of characterization. CHARACTER NAME TEXT BASED DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTER AND ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATION Description(include page and line numbers):

Reverend Parris

___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

Description(include page and line numbers)

John Proctor ___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

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CHARACTER NAME

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TEXT BASED DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTER AND ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATION Description(include page and line numbers)

Abigail ___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

Detailed Description:

Mr. Putnam ___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

Detailed Description:

Tituba

___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

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Character Name Text Based Description of Character and Analysis of Motivation Detailed Description:

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Mary Warren ___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

Detailed Description:

Reverend Hale ___________________________________________________ Motivation Analysis:

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1. QUESTIONS FOR ACT ONE OF THE CRUCIBLE Where and when is the opening scene of the play set?

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2. Why has Parris sent for Reverend Hale from Beverly?

3. What do we learn about the events in the forest and Abigail Williams' connections with the Proctor family?

4. What does Ann Putnam claim in the play about her dead infant children?

5. Before the arrival of John Hale, what are some of the subjects for petty disagreement among the characters?

6. According to the stage directions, how does John Hale enter for the first time?

7. What happens when John Hale interrogates Tituba? How does the scenes atmosphere become hysterical?

8. Miller colors the play with dialect, or specific regional speech. Pick out some examples of dialect in this act.

9. One of Miller's major subjects in the play is the nature of authority. How are each of the following characters linked with the idea of authority in Act One? a. Samuel Parris b. Thomas Putnam

c. Rebecca Nurse Beerwinkle 2013