Arthur Miller and McCarthyism

Introduction

Arthur Miller's The Crucible is a play that depicts the events of the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. The events that unfold center around girls who become unexplainably ill after it is found out they dabbled in witchcraft in the woods with the minister's slave, Tituba. Mass hysteria ensues when the girls began to blame others for their illness leading to the trials and people being arrested and hung because of the accusations from these young girls.  Arthur Miller drew a parallel in The Crucible between the hysteria surrounding the witchcraft trials in Puritan New England and the postwar climate of McCarthyism. You will also read "Good Luck and Good Night" in order to better understand McCarthyism and its impact. 

Process

You will read the articles on Arthur Miller and McCarthyism and answer the questions on another sheet of notebook paper in CSRQ. Be sure that you label the sections. 

I. Arthur Miller

http://www.biography.com/people/arthur-miller-9408335

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/miller-mccarthyism.html

         -For the second article, you may skip to down to the section that starts with "paranoia breeds paranoia" and skim from that point to the end of the article for the answer to #7.     

  1. How did the Wall Street Crash of 1929 impact Miller's family?
  2. What university did he attend? 
  3. How did he earn money to go to school?
  4. When did he start writing?
  5. What awards has he won for his works? Be sure to name the two works and all of the awards he won for those works.  
  6. What famous actress was he married to?
  7. What inspired him to write The Crucible? 

II. McCarthyism 

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/

http://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-lecture/arthur-miller-biography

  1. What fear dominated American society in the 1940s and 50s?
  2. Who is Joseph McCarthy?
  3. What is McCarthyism?
  4. What did Joseph McCarthy do that caused mass hysteria?
  5. What was the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee?
  6. What were at least three of the consequences should a person be found guilty of communism?
  7. What happened to Senator McCarthy as a result of his accusations
  8. What was Arthur Miller’s involvement with McCarthyism?
  9. In May 1957, what was Miller found guilty of?
  10. Name at least two other people in Hollywood affected by McCarthyism.