Use the Internet to research one of the following topics



Reading good literature (and seeing good films) should change us, give us insight and give us the chance to be better in some way. But to do that, we must make a connection between the books we read and the reality of our world. Too often, people read a story, novel or play and wonder “good story, but what’s that got to do with me?”

As teenagers, some of you may have been “profiled” by a retail employee or a vigilant neighbor assuming you are up to “no good.” (Now, if you really were up to “no good” it’s not profiling). Profiling is using easy or cheap-to-observe traits as indicators for more difficult or costly-to-observe characteristics. While, the apparent characteristics may sometimes correlate with harder to observe behaviors, they are not evidence of causation.

You witnessed this type of “profiling” in The Crucible when John Proctor’s infrequent church attendance was used as support for his eventual condemnation as a witch. In your daily lives, you or your friends may have assumptions made about you due to types of clothing, hair styles, music choices, etc.

When the “profiling” is somewhat harmless nobody is really hurt by it; however, when surface observations are used to confirm suspicions of bad character or criminal behavior people can be detained, arrested and sometimes killed.

A “witch hunt” is an extension of individual profiling to group profiling.

Literally, a “witch hunt” is an organized attempt to identify and segregate or eliminate people who are believed to use supernatural powers to harm society. Authorities carried out many hunts in Europe and America between 1400 and 1700’s.

We often use the term “witch hunt” figuratively now, to mean an organized persecution or unfair targeting of a group or people.  In recent American history the term “witch hunt” has been applied to events such as the Red Scare in the 1950s and ritual “Satanic” murders in the 1990s. During the Red Scare, there were a few communists/socialist in America, but they were poorly organized at best, and certainly not a serious threat to the American way of life. No one, including Senator Joseph McCarthy himself, produced evidence that communists in Hollywood did, or could have done, anything to successfully to promote world domination by the Soviet Union or damage the patriotism or resolve of Americans.

To identify a witch hunt one must be able to discern certain characteristics that are common in all witch hunts. This assignment is two parts:

Part 1 is a group presentation on an example of a modern day witch hunt.

Part 2 is a five paragraph essay where you will explore the similarities and differences between one of the modern witch hunts and the famous Salem Witch Hunt as portrayed in The Crucible.

Part 1 Research a Modern Day Witch Hunt

First, here is a list of events in recent history that have been labeled by journalists and historians as types of witch hunts.

• Use the Internet or books and magazine articles to research one of the following topics. You can also find your own, but you must have it approved first.

o McMartin Pre-School Trial

o Wenatchee “Sex Rings” Case

o Bakersfield/Kern County “Ritual Abuse” (John Stoll)

o The McCuan Kniffen Frame-up

o Anti-Gay Bullying in the US

o Persecution of gays in Uganda

o “War on Women” (this one is a topic of much debate and you will find term “witch hunt” begin used on both sides of the issue)

o Teen bashing

o Ethnic profiling (African-American, Hispanic, Arab-American, etc.)

o The New York “Ground Zero” Mosque/Other examples of Anti-Islamic persecution.

o Japanese internment during WW2

o Hatred toward Jews leading to the Holocaust

o Segregationist policies in the American South

o Anti-Immigrant campaigns and policies

o Red Lining

o Brandon Mayfield (local story) arrest

o Internet Trolls and other bullying campaigns online

o Research your own (but get it approved)

• Pick one. Read about it briefly on line. Wikipedia is a good first source. Some of these are more sensational than others. Some are very dark but common practices that still affect groups of people in places like ours. Decide which one you think is most interesting and form a group of no more than three people. (If you’d like to do this all by yourself or with a partner, you are welcome to) Pitch your idea to your group members, but between the three of you decide one case or event you’d like to research and present to the class.

• Your research should be in three parts

o The Background. What events, occurrences, political or economic pressures, and/or religious beliefs set the stage for this event. What motivated the mistrust/fear of the community? None of these happened just over night. What forces set the stage for the witch hunt to begin? (In Salem it was fear of Indians, personal feuds over land, religious extremism and, of course, John Proctor’s affair with Abigail that set the stage for the trials.)

o The Witch Hunt. Who is suspected? Who is charged? What behaviors, beliefs, appearances cause people to be suspected and charged. Who isn’t suspected? Why? Who are the accusers? The witnesses? What is the evidence? Why is it believed?

o The Aftermath. Who is punished? How? Did anyone disagree the WH? How were those who disagreed treated? If the people have come to the conclusion they were wrong, is there any evidence they learned anything. Have new laws been enacted? New policies? New values?

• Your group should create a presentation that addresses the three parts of your chosen WH. You will need some kind of visual to go along with your presentation (a poster, a chart, a powerpoint, etc.)

• You will make these presentations to the class. Classmates will take notes because they will use your information on their essays—the second part of this assignment.

Part 2 Compare a Modern Day Witch Hunt to The Crucible

• Pick one of the Modern Witch Hunts to use as your comparison. You can choose the one your group presented or one that was presented to you.

• Your essay will have five parargraphs

o Para 1—Introduce topic.

▪ Introduction should include that you are writing about Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

▪ The Crucible is about both a historical witch hunt in Salem, Mass. but also a metaphor for McCarthyism and the Red Scare.

▪ Witch hunts aren’t just a thing of the past. Why it’s important to be aware of the forces that lead to witch hunts.

▪ A couple sentences to establish how your chosen WH will be compared and contrasted with The Crucible.

o Para 2—The Background

▪ Use facts from the presentation

▪ Compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) with the The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials

▪ Use specific references and quotes from the play. Cite the act the example or quote came from.

o Para 3—The Witch Hunt

▪ Follow the same directions as above

o Para 4—The Aftermath

▪ Follow the same directions as above

o Para 5—The Conclusion

▪ Show how you made your case

▪ Or summarize your main points

▪ Or tell us what we should all learn from what you’ve presented

▪ Try to write a “clincher” at the end—some “weighty” or witty statement that will stick with the reader.

Things to keep in mind (random thoughts but all important)

• Think about the mixed motives of all the characters in The Crucible. Parris feared for his job and reputation. Abigail wanted Elizabeth out of the way so she could have John. Mary Warren wanted to be treated with respect and looked up to. Hale, at the start, wanted to show off his advanced knowledge of demonology. The judges were impressed by their own authority and later afraid they were going to look like fools. Do you see any of mixed motives or emotions exhibited in your modern day WH?

• In Act 3 on page 869, Danforth talks about “invisible crimes.” Do “invisible crimes” figure into your WH at all. How so?

• The power of the group dynamic. Remember how Mary couldn’t faint on demand but could when she was caught up in the frenzy or all the girls? Does that have anything to do with your WH?

• Does anyone confess to “save their skin”?

• Does anyone hold fast to their innocence even when it’s hard?

• In The Crucible there are a number of respected and believable witnesses whose testimony is discounted or discredited. Does that happen in your WH? How? Why?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download