1. American Lit.

2.  Greed  Jealousy  Hysteria  Illness  Social Control  Intolerance (Irony)  McCarthyism

3.  Reputation  Not well liked  Why?  Preaches too often about hell/finances  Parris is a wormy little character.  Miller says in his notes that he found nothing redeemable about the historical Parris. As a result, he evidently felt no need to make his fictional version any better.  First of all Parris is greedy. John Proctor accuses Parris of this several times in the play.  The Reverend gives weak justifications, but never denies any of the accusations.  Some examples of Parris's greed include: quibbling over firewood, insisting on gratuitous golden candlesticks for the church, demanding (against time-honored tradition) that he have the deed to the house he lives in.

4.  Reverend Parris’s daughter  falls sick after the girls are caught dancing in the forest and conjuring spirits  though her sickness is feigned, it spurs on the witchcraft rumors and opens the door to future accusations

5.  Ann Putnam  Seven babies died at birth  She blames this on demonic spirits/witchcraft.  Implicates Tituba because she had her daughter Ruth go to the forest and conjure spirits of the dead babies.

6. TThomas Putnam ““a man with many grievances” AA. James Bayley was supposed to become minister of Salem. BB. Had grievances against him because he was the eldest son of the richest man in the village. CC. He attempted to contest his fathers will/stepbrother was going to receive more money than him.

7.  In order to preserve her name and to divert attention away from her, she condemns others.  Blames Tituba for conjuring spirits and making her drink chicken blood.  Liar/Harmful  Controlling/Bully/Manipulator  Threatens the girls of Salem to keep their mouths shut OR ELSE!!

8.  A Pawn  Scapegoat  A. Slave  B. Has no social rank  C. From Barbados (stereotype) is that they know more about witchcraft/superstitions)

9.  Recognizes Hypocrisy  Tragically Flawed  A. Christian man who has an affair with a 17 year old girl.  B. He is married.  Senses that Rev. Hale’s presence will cause more hysteria to be spread throughout Salem Village.

10.  Has the best of intentions  outside pressures and growing hysteria will prove to add to the struggles of the play  Complex character  Goes through a major personal journey through the course of the play  Well-intended, but full of himself.

11.  Young girls and daughters of squabbling families.  Both afflicted with a “mysterious” illness  Ruth has been known to act out (crazy) in court when her family was up against their enemies.

12.  In her 70s  The people in Beverly speak well of her because of her charitable work in the village of Salem and neighboring villages as well.

13.  83 years old  Unknowingly accuses his wife of being involved in “peculiar” activities.  A. Reading a book  B. Giles is illiterate and naïve.  Blamed for everything that goes wrong in the village.?? Because... He’s an easy target.

14.  Elizabeth's positive qualities are also her negative ones.  virtuous woman who is steadfast and true  traits also make her a bit of a cold fish  When we first meet her, she's especially cold and fishy.  She's got good reason to be, though, because her husband has recently had an affair with their housekeeper, Abigail Williams.  Elizabeth's reaction to the affair reveals a bit of a vindictive streak.  When she discovered her husband's sin, she gave Abby the boot  For the most part, she’s a stand-up woman.  Blameless victim

15.  Mary is a likeable enough character, but ultimately proves herself to be a bit spineless.  She's one of the girls who was caught in the forest with Abigail, dancing and conjuring spirits – though we quickly learn that she just watched and did not participate.  She becomes part of the court that condemns witches.  At first she seems to enjoy the power it gives her.  When clearly innocent people begin to be convicted, however, Mary feels bad about the whole thing. WHO WOULDN’T?!!! (Abigail)

16.  Oversees the witchcraft trials in Salem  He likes to think of himself as fair-minded, so it disturbs and angers him to discover that people fear the court.  He believes that no innocent person should fear the court, and that he and Judge Hathorne are guided by God, so nobody will be punished unjustly.  As a result, he fails to examine evidence critically or to act when he could to stop the hysteria.  Even at the end, when it’s obvious that the society is disintegrating, he refuses to see the role that the witchcraft trials and hangings have played in it.