Act by Act Questions

1. Trace the events occurring outside Parris’ house, as reported by Susanna

Walcott, Mrs Putnam, Mary Warren and Giles Corey.

Susana Walcott tells Parris that Doctor Griggs is unable to find a cure ‘… he cannot
discover no medicine for it in his books… but he bid me tell you, that you might to
unnatural things for the cause of it.’ (pg 18). Mrs Putnam thinks that it’s a stroke of
hell and asks whether Betty flies ‘how how high did she fly, how high?’(pg 21). Mary
Warren states that the whole country is talking of witchcraft and ‘next they’ll be
calling us all witches’. Giles comes in and says he has heard that Betty flies ‘I’ve not
said a word. No-one her can testify I’ve said a word. Is she going to fly again? I hear
she flies.’ Pg 31

2. Abigail is introduced as ‘a strikingly beautiful girl, an orphan, with an

endless capacity for dissembling’. What is the significance of this
description in the light of later events?

The significance of Abigail being introduced as a beautiful girl, is due to the fact that
during Act One, we eventually learn that Abigail Williams had an affair with John
Proctor, and this is a determining factor for the entire play.

3. Who is Parris more concerned for – Betty or himself?

As is seen throughout the entire play, Parris is much more concerned about himself,
rather than anyone else in the Salem Community, including his own daughter. He is
a member of the clergy and has worked very hard to get where he currently is, and
has no intention of relinquishing his high position, just because of his friends and
family.

4. What do we learn of the Putnams by their behaviour in this act?

Thomas Putnam wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against
Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam’s brother-in-law from being elected to the office
of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of
witchcraft and then buying up their land. Ann Putnam is Thomas Putnam’s wife. Ann
Putnam has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The other
seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were
murdered by supernatural means. From the first act, we learn that the Putnams are
anti-witchcraft, and seem to believe in the spirits, which also means that they are
highly religious, and will stop at nothing to prevent witchcraft around Salem.

5. Describe the atmosphere of the scence between Abigail and Proctor.

What does it tell us about these two characters?

The atmosphere between Abigail Williams and Proctor is quite tense, due to the fact
that the reader knows that prior to this event, Abigail and Proctor had an affair, which
resulted in Mrs. Proctor kicking Abigail out of the Proctor household.

6. What effect does the psalm ‘Going up to Jesus’ have on Betty and on
Abigail?

Betty gets up and starts screaming upon hearing Jesus’s name. She shrieks and
starts shaking uncontrollably, perhaps, due to her duty conscience about her
witchcraft activities.
7. How important are the squabbles about land ownership and the fact that
‘everybody is suing everbody else’?

Back in the 17th Century, the only way to show that someone was affluent and “rich”
was to show that they had a lot of land. Because of this, it was quite common to see
people arguing and squabbling over land.

8. To what extent does Hale’s entry provide a moment of comic relief?

Hale’s entry provides comic relief because he thought that he could get the answers
by searching through heavy books.

9. What motivates Tituba to name Goody Good and Goody Osburn?

Her owner, Reverend Parris threatened to whip her, and the Putnams threatened to
execute her if she did not confess to witchcraft. Also, she was attempting to protect
herself, by showing herself to be willing to dobbing in the “big fish”, as well as
protect the real witches.

10. Why do Betty and Abigail add to Tituba’s list?

Both Betty and Abigail add to Tituba’s list, so they can frame innocent Salem
villagers, and prove themselves to be honest and willing to help with the ‘rounding-
up’ of accused witches. By doing this, they are excluding themselves from suspicion.