The Crucible Essay Example for Free

The Crucible Essay The title the â€Å"crucible† by Author Miller is a metaphor for the witch trial in Salem that manipulates the impure hearts just as the crucible melts impure metal. The crucible was set in the Puritan society where religion was strict and everything; everyone was either belong to god or the devil. People in the Puritan society used that as a tool to gain power and wealth. Throughout the witch trial, many people with impure hearts were manipulated by the overwhelming power of being connected to god and tried to benefit from it but eventually it led to their own destruction such as Abigail, Thomas Putnam and Paris. On the other hand many people with pure hearts were willing to be hanged than named other people such as Giles Corey and John Proctor. Abigail, Paris and Thomas Putnam hearts were blacken by the power of god but granted by the devil. They accused other of witchcraft in order to benefit from it. Thomas Putnam accused other as witchcraft so he could by off the land while Paris accused other who against him to protect his fame. Unlike Paris and Putnam, Abigail purpose was different. At first she accused other because she was offered a chance to get away with her sin but then she was overwhelm with the new found power ,the power that she never had before, the power that bring her out of the misery life of a Puritan girl who was only a little more than a slave. Abigail’s hatred against Elizabeth filled heart with vengeance which made it vulnerable and easy to be manipulated by the Devil. Giles Corey, an elderly who had many experience in lawsuits. Unfortunately his wife Martha Corey was accused for witchcraft by reading books. Giles Corey tried to safe his wife but he was arrested in a lawsuit against Putnam. The Judge tried to break him in many ways but he refused to name anyone. He was then tortured with a large rock on top of his chest until death but still not a name came out of his mouth except two words â€Å"more weight†. With no stain in the heart, Giles Corey and others who did not name other people to die in their place were like the pure steel that won’t melt under high temperature of the crucible. Difference from Abigail and Giles Corey, John Proctor was neither pure white nor black. He could be considered as a tragic hero, who had been upright for most of his life and the only his only sin was the lust with Abigail. His lust for Abigail Williams led to their affair and created Abigail’s hatred of his wife which sets the entire witch hysteria in motion. John was a dynamic character that changed through the plays. At the beginning he tried to hide his sin to keep his reputation but as things got worse he confessed himself. The judge nearly able to convinced him to name someone else but in the end he did not. He refused to give such false confession because such confession would dishonor his fellow prisoners, who are brave enough to die as testimony to the truth. The witch trial was like a burning flame that feed on the darkness in one heart. The witch trial only happen because people allowed to. If it weren’t for people like Abigail, Paris and Putnam the witch trial would never start and if it weren’t for people like Giles and John the witch trial would never end. Authur Miller used such fine metaphor for the title because the value of a heart can only by judge in such circumstance just as the value of an metal can only be tested by extreme temperature.

Compare and Contrast Tragedy and Comedy :: comparison compare contrast essays

Compare and Contrast Tragedy and Comedy A tragedy is defined as beginning with a problem that affects everyone, i.e. the whole town or all the characters involved, the tragic hero must solve this problem and this results in his banishment or death [run-on sentence]. A comedy is defined as also beginning with a problem, but one of less significant importance. The characters try to solve the problem and the story ends with all the characters uniting in either a marriage of a party. Although these two genres are seen as being complete opposites of each other, through further analysis one can gather that though they are different certain similarities can also be seen. One aspect of these genres that can be compared and contrasted is the narrative or plot. A comparison can be analyzed in that both begin with a problem. In Oedipus Rex, the play begins with a plague devastating the city of Thebes. In A Midsummer Night's Dream there is also a plague that is upon the land. However, a difference between these two beginnings is that in Oedipus Rex the citizen are effected by it to the point that they look towards Oedipus for a solution to their suffering; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the effects of the plague are never shown to the audience and it seems a minor detail. Another difference is the cause of the plague in the two plays. In the tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the hero ends up being the cause because he murdered the king; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream the cause is a fight between Titania and Oberon. Another point that can be compared and contrasted is the search for a solution in the plots. In Hamlet, Hamlet is searching for the truth to discover if his father was really murdered by his uncle and if this is true he must correct the situation by killing his uncle. Also, in Oedipus Rex this plot is seen in that Oedipus is searching for the truth about the murder of the old king, Laios, and the situation will be resolved by the murder being banished from Thebes. In contrast A Midsummer Night's Dream is more centered around the lovers trying to overcome the forces that separate them and Oberon seeking revenge on Titania.

Ethics Case Study: Homeless Man Essay

Case Facts: We decided to discuss the case of the homeless man provided in the textbook. Here are the case facts: A homeless man attempted to save a woman that was being attacked in New York City. In the process he was stabbed. He was visibly bleeding on the sidewalk for over an hour, as people walked by, took pictures and stopped to look at him. One man shook him. No one attempted to help him, stay with him, or call emergency services. The homeless man died on the sidewalk. Obligations, Duties and Rights: After reading the initial facts of the case, we discussed the obligations, duties and rights all held by the passersby and viewers of the situation. They are as follows: Every passerby has the right to their personal safety and health, as well as the right to remain silent and anonymous. Given these undeniable rights, every passerby also has the moral duty and obligation to report a witnessed crime to the authorities. They also have the duty to work towards maintaining the safety and well-being of their community. Along with this duty, comes to obligation to support and protect the most vulnerable among this community. Consequences: Our group further discussed the implications of the situation and the associated consequences, both intended and unintended, positive and negative. Following are the consequences that could have occurred if the passersby had chosen to offer aid to the homeless man: First, the man’s life could have been saved. Another outcome would be the finding and persecution of the criminal. Another, would be setting a positive example for the community, in turn promoting the safety of the community as a whole. Another positive consequence could be acting as a catalyst for future laws to be enacted aiding the community. Finally, a positive outcome from helping the homeless man would leave the passersby with altruistic emotions. Negative consequences that could result from refusing to aid the homeless man would include: The homeless man dies and the criminal escapes, potentially continuing to harm more members of the community. Another consequence includes the public losing a sense of security as well as the passersby having the uneasiness and uncertainty of not knowing the outcome of the situation if they chose to walk away before his death. Finally, if the passerby chose to walk away, they face the negative consequence of feeling of regret upon denying their personal morals and obligations. Moral Ideals: Having analyzed the facts, obligations and consequences of the case, the moral ideals that we have extrapolated are: Justice, integrity, loving kindness, and courage. Justice, â€Å"denoting the evaluation of situations according to their merits, fairly and without prejudice, as well as giving each person his or her due.† The best way to carry out justice in this situation would have been to ensure that the criminal was found and prosecuted, and protecting the life of the homeless man. Integrity, the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles regardless of who is watching, is the second moral principle that we have decided best relates to this case. If the passerby had acted with integrity, he/she would have opted to stay with or somehow help the homeless man to insure that his life was saved as opposed to denying their moral obligation in walking away and choosing to ignore the situation. The next moral principle is Loving kindness, â€Å"doing unto others as you would have them do unto you,† or simply the Golden Rule. If the passersby had showed loving kindness, they would have felt empathy towards the homeless man as a fellow human being and would have ensured that he received aid, as they would have wished someone do for them if their roles were reversed. The final moral ideal that we felt most applied to this case was courage, â€Å"consisting only in conquering fear and in withholding the body from flight no matter what the risk of pain. We felt that this moral ideal applied to the case, as it would require the passersby to ignore their rights to safety as humans and allow their obligations to aid the man override their sense of fear and insecurity. If the passerby had maintained this ideal of courage, they would have approached the homeless man and helped to save his life.

Death Be Not Proud Quotes

Death Be Not Proud is a 1949 memoir written by American journalist John Gunther, about his son Johnny, who was a Harvard-bound teenager when he was diagnosed with cancer. He fought bravely to try to help doctors find a cure for his ailment, but died at age 17. The books title comes from a sonnet by metaphysical poet John Donne: Death, be not proud, though some have called theeMighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;For those whom thou thinkst thou dost overthrowDie not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,And soonest our best men with thee do go,Rest of their bones, and souls delivery.Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,And poppy or charms can make us sleep as wellAnd better than thy stroke; why swellst thou then?One short sleep past, we wake eternallyAnd death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. Here are some quotes and questions for consideration from John Gunthers Death Be Not Proud. God is whats good in me. Johnny Gunther said this at the age of 6, and it shows that even as a small child, he had a desire to do something meaningful and good for the world. Why do you think his father chose to include this in the novel? Does it give us a better understanding of who Johnny is and the person he might have grown up to become? I have so much to do! And theres so little time! Rather than wallow in self-pity, this is Johnnys reaction after the first exam shows the tumor that has been giving him neck pain. He says it to his mother Frances, and it seems to suggest that he knew his diagnosis was terminal. What do you think Johnny meant by saying he had so much to do? A primitive to-the-death struggle of reason against violence, reason against disruption, reason against brute unthinking force--this was what went on in Johnnys head. What he was fighting against was the ruthless assault of chaos. What he was fighting for, as it were, the life of the human mind. His father realizes that Johnnys battle is not just his own, but that hes seeking answers that will benefit others who may suffer the same illness. But even as he tries to think of a solution, the brain tumor is affecting Johnnys mind and his memory. Oh how tired I feel. What a gut-punch for Johnnys father to read this entry in the young mans diary. Johnny often tried to shield his parents from the depths of his suffering, and even this only touches on a fraction of what he must have been going through at the time. Did this make you think perhaps the treatments Johnny was enduring were not worth the pain he was enduring? Why or why not? Scientists will save us all. Taken out of context, this could be read as an ironic or angry statement about medicines failure to save Johnny from the effects of the brain tumor, but its actually a statement from Johnny himself, written in a final letter to his mother. He feels confident that his battle will not be in vain, and that even if hes not cured, the treatments the doctors tried for him will prompt further study. My grief, I find, is not desolation or rebellion at universal law or deity. I find grief to be much simpler and sadder... All the things he loved tear at my heart because he is no longer here on earth to enjoy them. All the things he loved! The devastating reaction of Johnnys mother Frances as she comes to terms with his death. Do you think this is a feeling commonly shared among the bereaved? How much more acute do you think this feeling is for bereaved parents? These quotes are just one part of our study guide on John Gunthers Death Be Not Proud. See the links below for more helpful resources: Overview of Death Be Not Proud Characters in John Gunthers Death Be Not Proud Terms / Vocabulary Review: Death Be Not Proud Questions for Study Discussion