Crucible+Reading+Questions+Act+2

Crucible Reading Questions Act 2

Name: .......................................................... Period: ............... Date: ........................

1. What is the significance of the scene between Elizabeth and John Proctor? What does it reveal about their relationship and about each of their characters?

2. What is the gift Mary Warren gives to Elizabeth?

3. What information does Mary provide about the trial? What role is she playing at the trial? Why does John forbid her from attending?

4. Why does Reverend Hale come to the Proctors' home? What does this scene reveal about Hale's role in the trial?

5. What relationship does Hale suggest exists between the church and the court?

6. What does Proctor tell Hale about why the children were ill? How does he claim to know?

7. What is the point of the discussion between Hale and the Proctors about whether or not they believe in witches?

8. What does Giles report to the Proctors? What is the significance of his revelations?

9. What event begins to change Hale's opinion about the arrests? How does he feel about the court?

10. What role does Cheever play? What is revealed about his character?

11. What do we learn about why Mary Warren gave the poppet to Elizabeth?

12. Why is Elizabeth arrested? On what grounds?

13. What do we learn about Mary Warren's motives at the end of the act?

14. What is meant when John uses the metaphor "your justice would freeze beer"? (p. 55)

15. What does John mean when he uses the metaphor "the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meeting houses"? (p. 65)

16. What does Hale mean when he says "theology...is a fortress"? (p. 67)

17. What does an individual's ability to use figurative language, such as metaphors, tell you about that person? Which characters in the play speak in metaphors?