Symbolism in the Crucible

The Doll –

What original started of as an innocent gift from a scared little girl turned into tangible evidence to put poor Mrs. Goody Proctor away for good. Mary Warren, a feeble minded follower who almost has a heart, manages to do something admirable by making Goody Proctor a nice doll. Later in the novel Abigail Williams accuses Goody of witchcraft. The deciding factor that convicts Goody is the doll. Dolls have always been associated with evil, witchcraft, and voodoo. Overall, the doll usually something sweet and caring, instead is represented by evil disguised by innocence or just play old fashion witchcraft

The Crucible –

A crucible can be defined as a few different things.

One of the two definitions it obtains in the play is an object that can with stand large amounts of heat while cooking or burning substances in it. The other definition is that a crucible is a test or trial. Both sides are significant in the play.

In the beginning of the story the girls are in the woods trying to conjure spirits around a crucible. In the crucible there was water, blood, a frog, and other unknown substances. First off a crucible can always be related to witchcraft, it resembles a cauldron. It also sets up the whole basis of the play. If the girls were caught in the woods with out the crucible the though of witchcraft wouldn’t have even been developed, the crucible symbolizes witchcraft. With out the crucible there would have been no story.

Almost every character in the entire play has to go through or witness a crucible. From the most well respected men in the town to the indigent slave women, tests and trials were being held. The duel meaning of crucible creates a difference. One represents a test, something that needs to be done to test purity or innocence. The other one represents simply witchcraft. Both are essential to the plot.

The Courthouse –

In most cases a courthouse is usually something that is well respected and appreciated. A courthouse is usually a symbol of pureness, justice, fairness and equality. The author of the Crucible Arthur Miller must have thought otherwise. In the play the courthouse was a symbol for harshness and injustice. Innocent men and women were being wrongfully convicted without a fair trial. This is not what justice is resembles; this courthouse makes a mockery out of our whole judicial system. Instead of creating peace, justice, and fairness like a normal courthouse does, this courthouse strives in doing what is wrong.