McCarthy, an “anti-Communist inquisitor” used “ guilt-by-association techniques” to rid America of Communism (Bach, Morten, and Hale, Korcaighe 68). The red scare led to many people fearing everyone else, thinking of them as Communist. In the Salem Witch Trials, witchcraft haunted the village much like during McCarthy era, Communism haunted America. During the McCarthy era and the Salem Witch Trials, people became so scared of accusations of witchery or Communism that they proceeded to try almost anything to keep themselves out of harm. The Crucible shows a symbolism of McCarthyism in the 1950’s In the beginning of The Crucible, flaws in the Puritan religion shine through Parris. Parris, too drawn up in himself, worried only about his reputation, so when Abigail won’t tell him what happened he yells to her, “I have sought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people …show more content…
Proctor knows that in order to save his life he needs to confess, so he tells Elizabeth that, “He’s been thinking, he would confess to them” (Miller 135). John proctor lied in order to live, much like during McCarthyism people lied in order to protect themselves from persecution. This shows that many innocent people both accused and killed, lied to protect themselves from hanging or put in jail. When it came to the way they treated innocent people The Crucible greatly mirrored the McCarthy era. In The Crucible and during the McCarthy era people cared greatly about their reputation, and feared accusal. During McCarthyism people greatly feared Communism and in The Crucible they feared witchcraft. People in both times threw everyone’s names they disliked out, to accuse them. This kept the others safe and allowed them to live freely. They needed to lie, though, in order protect themselves once accused. People not only feared witchcraft and Communism, but also feared the punishment that came with an