Appendix-What Is It Good For?
How does The Crucible "Appendix/Act II Scene 2" that we read impact your thematic understanding of the drama and its two primary characters- John and Abigail? Should it be included in each production or reading of the drama? Why? Defend your position using textual evidence.
posted by Greg T at Wednesday, October 15, 2008
26 Comments:
When reading this passage my outlook on how I perceived John Proctor changed. At the beginning of the play, I saw him as a scared man who would say anything to protect his good reputation. However, now I see him as someone who accepts his mistakes and is willing tell Salem about his affair with Abigail, if it means saving his wife Elizabeth. Proctor states, “You will tell the court you are blind to spirits; you cannot see them any more, and you will never cry witchery again, or I will make you famous for the whore you are”(152)! In this, Proctor is telling Abigail that she better stop falsely accusing people of witchery, or else he will tell the town of their affair.
My views of Abigail have stayed constant throughout the play. She tells lies, manipulates her friends and the entire town, and is trying to send nineteen innocent people to their death. She says to Proctor, “I don’t like the woods at night. Pray you, stand closer”(148). This shows the extent of what Abigail is willing to do to be with John Proctor.
I believe the appendix should be included in the reading of this play because it furthers our knowledge and understanding of not only what is going on, but the back and forth relationship between Abigail and Proctor.
After reading this passage, it seems like it should eb in the play because it shows john trying to ask abby (the one person the he didn't wanted to go to)if she would get his wife out of trial. but all abby wants to do is be his husband.it tells a lot about who the charcters are. john doesnt want his wife to hang and abby does, i think this part is key because it lets off any confusion later on.also abby seems alittle creepy at one point aswell when she talks of making the world pure agian. that part needs to be in there because it adds to the tention of the story.i think that if the audience saw that part and they have never heard of the play before it might make the play much more intense not only for the peoplebut it helps.
Act two really changed my views on John because in the beggining of the play he seemed kind of like a snakish man who slept around behind his own wifes back and would do anything to make sure no one knew. But after scene two you really see John caring for his wife so much that he actually threatins to tell Salem about his afair just to save his wifes life. On page 152 John says “You will tell the court you are blind to spirits; you cannot see them any more, and you will never cry witchery again, or I will make you famous for the whore you are!".
Abigail on the other hand though has still shown to be a lying evil and even power crazy little girl. She still seems to have such childlike tempertantrums and immature characteristics. She is constantly trying to blame things on others and never takes control of her own life. In scene two these characteristics still have not changed. "No, this is your wife pleading, your sniveling, envious wife! This is Rebecca's voice, Martha Corey's voice. You were no hypocrite!" (152) in this quote Abigail tries to defend herself by vlaming Johns wife and others in the town.
I do think that the appendix helped out with understanding the characters more because it kinda gives you an in depth and personal look at each character.
I think that this appendix should definitely be included in the play because it gives the reader a much better understanding of John Proctor's characteristics. This was a point in the play at which Proctor reveals more of his personality traits. He originally was paranoid about how the town perceived him regarding his connection to witches. During this scene he changes completely, becoming a person who admits his own personal flaws in order to save his wife. On the other hand, my view of Abby is exactly the same. She is still very manipulative and selfish, and that doesn't change during this scene.
After reading the Appendix of Act II, I am realizing that I have overlooked certain important themes that are embedded within this play. I found that this passage revealed a very important theme: taking risks to repair damage that has been done. Proctor realized that he needed to admit that he had an affair with Abigail in order to save his wife from being convicted of doing witchery. He was taking a risk by admitting to what he did because his good name would be ruined and he would lose the respect of the townspeople. Yet at the same time, he would be saving his wife from being falsely convicted, and setting things right in their relationship. When Proctor says; “Am I! How am I good?” (150), it seems like he realizes that he isn’t the good man that he tried to make everyone think he was.
I think the appendix can be very helpful if it is included in each reading of the drama because it allows us to get to know certain characters and see what kind of people they really are. From this reading, I was able to better understand Proctor and what kind of a man he really is, because it involved dialogue between him and only one other character; Abigail.
I think that this part of the story is nessery in the telling of the crisible. It explaint that Abigial knows that other people high up in society know that she is really faking the whole thing. I think that it puts alot of things into prospective. There is alot of difrent things that could happen from this. and it set up another thing of how rebbeca comes to trile.
After reading The Crucible "Appendix/Act II Scene 2," it gave a huge impact on the story. This should be included into the drama because it shows different perspectives of the two characters. For example, the play starts to give off the impression that John Procter only cares about his reputation. The only reason why he is with his wife (even though she is horrid to him) is because he does not want people to talk. This passage says that he really cares for his wife and does not care what happens to Abigail. Plus, it supports the idea that Abigail is a very confused young lady and would do anything for love. No matter what the consequence may be.
I believe that the appendix should be included. It really shows the true side of John Proctor and assures us that Abigal is fake. Abigal will do anything to win John back and John will not even think about having another affair with her. John is trying to save his wife from being put on trial and Abigal is trying to put her o trial so that she may be with John. I think with this included in the play it can help the reader further understand the traits of these two characters and what is going on.
when reading the appendix, my idea of who John Proctor definately changed. At first, i thought he was someone that was just trying to avoid the reality that he and Abigail were together while he was with Elizabeth also. at the end, though, i could see that he was willing to do everything he could to make sure his innocent wife wouldn't hang. for Abigail, it didn't change my perspective of her at all even when i read the appendix. she has and still is willing to do whatever it takes for her to be with John even if it means falsely accusing his wife.
when reading the appendix, my idea of who John Proctor definately changed. At first, i thought he was someone that was just trying to avoid the reality that he and Abigail were together while he was with Elizabeth also. at the end, though, i could see that he was willing to do everything he could to make sure his innocent wife wouldn't hang. for Abigail, it didn't change my perspective of her at all even when i read the appendix. she has and still is willing to do whatever it takes for her to be with John even if it means falsely accusing his wife.
In Act 2 Scene II you really begin to distinguish who is good and who is bad. In Act 1 when John and Abigail met you believed that they were both corrupt as John admits to having feelings for her and she blames his wife. In this scene you begin to realize that Abigail is blaming other people to get what she wants and is doing it with great success, pretty much the same as in Act 1. But John is trying to do the honorable thing and claims he will destroy his own reputation for the sake of saving others. "You will tell the court you are blind to spirits; you cannot see them any more, and you will never cry witchery again, or I will make you famous for the whore you are"(152). This is an important scene and should definately be included in our reading because this is the first time that you really can believe that John Proctor is an respectful man. Also, Abigail has now shown herself to be crazy and this is evidence of her use of witchcraft. She begins to rant about her cleansing the world by persecuting everyone in Salem but herself and John.
I think that it should definattly be added to the play because it shows how much John loves his wife and wouldn't risk it for anything. He is even willing to say that he had sex with Abigail if it got his wife off the hook. This play is taking a different course than I thought it was going to and it is makng it more interesting to me. I thoughttat John would do aything t keep Abby but he oviously dosn't care what happens to her and ants he to get caught fo all of the ings at she has done.
I think it should be invluded in each reading because it helps the reader understand the characters of John and Abigail. The appendix helped me understand the characteristics and ways of each person. It helped show what John proctor was like and what kind of person he is. With Abigail it presented me with what i already thought about her as a lying trickster/ devilish person who was killing innocent people for her personal gain.
After reading the Appendix and Act II, the way I see Abigail is the way I see a lot of teenage girls. Certain high school girls can start a whole lot of trouble with numerous different situations. They hold in secrets for a little, but then when you think you're safe they will destroy with something. I definetly think guys and girls get themselves in trouble, but i think teenage girls commonly blow things out of proportion and make things bigger deals then they are. After reading the two texts, I see a connection between Abigail and teenage girl drama starters.
I think that the Appendix significantly impacted the way I view the characters John and Abigail in the drama "The Crucible". In the first Act, it seemed as if John Proctor was a man who cheated on his wife, and didn't care much about anything other than keepig that a secret. If was as if he didn't feel remorse for it, and the only thing he cared about was not tarnishing his name in the town. However, in the Appendix you see how far he is willing to go to keep his wife from being hanged and falsely accused. He is willing to stand up in front of the court and tell the town about his affair with Abigail, in doing so he will also be ruining his reputation, if it will expose Abby's lies and help the people who are being falsely accused.
The Appendix only confirmed how I percieved Abigail. She is a very calculated and sneaky woman. She will do whatever it takes to be with the man she loves, even though he has made it very clear he does not love her back. She is willing to put the town in danger to get what she wants. There is not anything she isn't willing to do.
After I read the appendix of Act 2, I decided that it is a very necessary part of the Crucible because it gives you an in depth look at the charachters that you most likely would have not seen before. One example of this is when John is willing to tell his awful deed of having an affair with abbigal(which is frowned up very highly back then) so that he can save his wife. My opinion is that the appendix should be included in the play without a doubt.
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I believe that this Appendix is very important to the play becuase it allows the audience to see the real motivation behind both Abby and Mr. Proctor. I think that the information that they both gives sets up what happens in Act 3 and why John is willing to go to any extint to prove that Abby is just faking this. Also this passage is a nice showing of what Salem really is when the witchcfrat trials are not going on. It does that because it is just the two of them in the woods and really signifies the true meaning of Salem, Massachusets.
After reading the passage, my perspective of John Proctor changed. I had originally viewed John as a man who had a good reputation with the town, but was unfaithful to his wife. John was a man who would do or say anything to protect his own skin, but because he admitted to sleeping with Abigail, had changed my whole perspective of him. It showed that he still loved his wife, and would risk it all just to save her.
My perspective of Abigail stayed the same though. Abigail was lying and 'ratting' other people out sense the beginning. Abigail will lie, deceive, and manipulate everyone just so she can be with John.
I do believe that the appendix should be included in each production of the play because it shows a crucial part of John Proctor that we have not seen before.
I agree with Taylor. In the beginning of the play Proctor seemed like a man who just wanted to protect his name and reputation. This appendix made my opinion of him change. He became a man that wanted to protect his wife and not ruin her name. The appendix didn't change my thoughts on Abby at all, she is still the same manipulative, controlling person. The appendix sets the tone for what is going to happen later on in the play. The appendix should definately be included in the play because it helps you further understand John Proctor and Abigail.
I think that the appendix should be included in the reading, because i think it will really help explain to people the different views of some of the characters. it has a good explaination of both sides, and it gives the reader the chance to create thier own opinion of what to think about John and Abigail
In the beginning of the Crucible John Proctor just seemed like a selfish person...John seemed like someone who would like about anything to protect himself, someone who only cares about themself ya know? Once i started reading the play more i also realized how much him and abigail love eachother and that some people will do whatever for love
This passage allows the reader to understand what Abigale's real motive for accusing people is. It allows the people to see that Abigale truly is not sick and really just wants to be with John Proctor. That is why she has accused Elizabeth with witch-craft. It also allows you to see how other people, such as the other girls and the judge, are letting their pride and personal motivation interfere with there reason.
Jeremy D.
After reading the appendix i think it should be included in the play. It shows Abigail and John Proctor in a more personal view. Also it tells an ulterior motive for both characters. The appendix shows an important argument between the two that shows that john is not so afraid of how everyone perceives him and his connection to the trials. For Abigail this doesn't change how i view her. It just shows some reason behind her manipulative behavior.
When I was finished reading the Appendix I was really suprised that the author left out such a revieling peice. In this I really start to see Proctor as more of a person, because he is willing to talk to Abbigal to save his wife from the trials. Then Abby stoops to a new low when she denies Proctors request for her to save his wife, and implies that once she is dead they can finally be togehter. With out this part of the text you can still understand the story but I think it is relevant to fully understand the characters. Plus it adds a little more depth into the story which always helps.
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