Based on the characters' repeated fear of persecution and rebellion against Puritan society, I predict that the ideas of individual freedom and purity will be explored further in the play.

Abigail relies that she can do the same as Tituba and gain blessing through false confession, then use her newfound parity to blame others.

Tituba is faced with two choices: be executed for working with the devil, or gain pardon by accusing another. Tituba knows that neither herself nor someone else is the devil's servant, but she is desperate to stay alive.

It is unlikely that this is true, but Abigail is seizing upon the opportunity to shift the blame from herself to Tituba.

The creation of an evil "other" was used by the residents of Salem and followers of McCarthy for the purpose of unification, even if this unity was not meant to last.

The divide between God and Lucifer, good and evil is reflected in Miller's times through the persecution of Communists. There can be no moderates, only Republicans and Communists.

Proctor openly admits his disdain for Parris and the structure of Salem, making him an easy target for those looking for a scapegoat for the town's problems.

Proctor is a hypocrite, and Abigail is angered by his contradictory behavior. He denies his advancements on Abigail, yet continues to act inappropriately towards her.

Abigail and Proctor are flirting with each other, suggesting an impropietous past through their body language. The Crucible is a play, so Miller can not directly describe their past. He instead uses innuendo and emotion to convey the same message.

As Miller mentioned earlier, the witchhunts evolved as a way for the citizens of Salem to safely confess their guilt.

In a town full of paranoid, insecure individuals, John Proctor's ability to reveal foolishness would surely make him unpopular. Power dynamics in Salem relied on the illusion of knowledge, and Proctor was a danger to this stability.

Abigail's monologue further displays her ruthlessness and position as the group's ringleader. She will do anything to protect herself.

Betty's outburst strikes fear into Abigail, who must protect her reputation at all costs. She strikes out against Betty, and uses violence to forcefully silence her cousin.

Regardless of the presence of witchcraft, Betty is clearly afflicted by something. However, the residents of witchcraft would not have been knowledgeable enough to understand mental illness or other diseases affecting the brain.

Abigail and Mercy are trying to prevent Mary from confessing by creating a group mentality; they all acted together, and therefore either none or all will suffer the consequences.

Miller's parallelism suggests "fat" as a synonym for the latter two adjectives. He is relying on his audience's prejudices to quickly characterize Mercy by requesting an overweight actress.

Both Abigail and Parris are afraid, but of very different things. Abigail is scared of the potential punishment Parris will unleash upon her, whereas Parris is paranoid of how witchcraft will weaken Salem and his power over it.

Throughout his conversation with the Putnams, Parris has shifted from worry over Betty to faltering confidence in his strength, and now to "frantic terror". He is the first of many to be overcome by the fear of witchcraft.

I am reminded of the infamous Nietzche quote "If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." Miller foreshadows that Parris's and Putnam's attacks on witchcraft ultimately come back to haunt them; none will escape unharmed.

The Putnams are so confident in their conviction that Betty and Ruth are bewitched that they begin to persuade Parris. It is in Parris's best interests to deny any witchcraft in Salem, but he is losing faith in his own denial.

Miller uses extremely connotative language to introduce Mrs. Putnam, describing her as a disturbed figure likely to produce equally disturbed actions and consequences.

Abigail does not reveal the reason behind Goody Proctor's hatred of her, but she makes no attempt to hide her feelings for Proctor's wife. So far Abigail has extensively lied to Parris. so this rare instance of truth suggests the strength of her emotions.

Abigail attempts to hide as much of the truth from Parris as she can in order to avoid further trouble for herself. She values her own safety over Betty's health and the expectation of obedience to Parris.

Again, Miller takes no time before defining his characters. Abigail is a troublemaker, but she is smart enough to hide her mischief and act obedient to Parris.

Despite Parris's terrifying, hardened exterior and dislike for children, he is truly distraught at his daughter's unexplained sickness.

Tituba's fear implies Parris's cruelty and harshness towards her and others. Trouble literally "lands on her back" as she is likely whipped for her apparent transgressions.

Parris's fear of persecution is shared by the town as a whole. Each member of Salem is so afraid of being targeted themselves that they attack others in an act of precautionary self-defense. Miller once again establishes the characters' motivations and foreshadows the upcoming trials.

Miller immediately characterizes Parris as a paranoid man, foreshadowing that his future persecutory actions will be inspired by this fear.

Judge Hathorne is the ancestor of Nathaniel Hawthorne, famous author of The Scarlet Letter. Shame over his relative's actions partially motivated Hawthorne to write the novel, which is not a purpose I have encountered often in my prior studies of literature.

Putnam has no evidence for her claim that Betty is a witch, but she is satisfied with her already-drawn conclusions and therefore unlikely to change her mind.