The family that fights together...

In the conflicts between  Amanda and Laura about business college, which character do you sympathize with, and why?  What do you think Williams wants you to feel about Amanda?  In the conflict between Tom and Amanda in Scene Three, which character do you sympathize with, and why?  What do you think Williams wants you to feel about Amanda?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Friday, October 5, 2012).

BONUS! BONUS! BONUS!

Be the first student to quietly hand me a slip of paper with the correct answer to this question tomorrow and you will get 2 bonus points on your writing warm-up average.  What was the original title of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams? 

Behind the name

Arthur Miller's The Crucible takes its name from the three meanings of "crucible."  One of these definitions is "a severe test or trial."  Several characters--John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, Mary Warren, Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and Reverend Hale--are tested throughout play.  Select one of these character and briefly recount his/her test and come to a conclusion as to whether he or she passed or failed this test and explain why.  (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Saturday, September 29, 2012.)

The court is in session...

Many plot changing events occur in Act III of The Crucible.  Select one of the following and explain what this event/scene reveals and why it is an important part of the plot.  
1) Giles is arrested for contempt of court.  2) John confesses adultery with Abby. 
3) Elizabeth lies to Gov. Danforth. 
4) Abby and girls accuse Mary of bewitching them. 
 5) Mary turns on John Proctor and he is arrested. 
6) Hale quits the court.
(The deadline to post to this blog is midnight Thursday, September 27, 2012)

Oh, sweet diary of mine...if they only knew...

Which character in The Crucible have you selected as the author of your secret diary?  Why did you select him or her?  What do you want your diary to reveal about this character? (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight Wednesday, September 26, 2012.)

What's a Puritan to do?

At the end of Act Two, both John Proctor and Mary Warren face crucibles: Mary must decide to tell the truth or not about Abigail and what the girls did in the forest while John must decide to go to the court and tell that he had an affair with Abigail.  Who should confess? Does this person have the ability to do this? What do you predict will happen if this person goes to the court with the truth? Why do you think this? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Sunday, September 23, 2012)

There are wheels within wheels...

Ann Putnam's statement in Act One of The Crucible that "...there are wheels within wheels and fires within fires" in Salem village presents one of the major themes of the play--selfishness/self-directed society. Which character do you feel is most self-directed and why? How does his/her self-motivation "spin" the wheels of others? In this blogging, you must read the responses given by your fellow classmates who posted before you. Not only must you add to the conversation, you must reply to their responses. I will start this comments. The person who comments after me cannot write about the same person I did and must make some comment about what I said.(The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Saturday, September 22, 2011.)