1. McCarthyism: History in Literature
Arthur Miller’s Reasons for Writing The Crucible

2. THE CRUCIBLE IS AN ALLEGORY
Allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in
which objects, persons, and actions in a
Piece of literature, are equated with the meanings that
lie outside the literature itself.
The underlying meaning has moral, social,
religious, or political significance.
In other words, an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.

3. RED SCARE
Shortly after the end of World War I, a “Red Scare” took hold of the nation. Named after the red flag of the USSR. (Now Russia), the “Reds” were seen as a threat to the democracy of the United States.
Fear, paranoia, and hysteria gripped the nation, and many innocent people were questioned and then jailed for expressing any view which was seen as anti-Democratic or anti-American.

4. What is McCarthyism? a movement leaders such as Senator
Joseph McCarthy started in the late
1940s-1950s; also known as “The Second
Red Scare”

5. MCCARTHYISM
McCarthyism is the term used to describe a period of intense
suspicion in the United States during the early 1950s.
It began when Senator Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator
from Wisconsin, claimed that communists had infiltrated the
Department of State.
A special House Committee on Un-American Activities was
formed to investigate allegations of communism.
During this period, people from all walks of life became the
subjects of aggressive “witch hunts” often based on
inconclusive, questionable evidence.

6. MCCARTHYISM Persons accused of being communists
were often denied employment in both the
public and private sector.
In the film industry alone, over 300 actors,
writers, and directors were denied work in the U.S.
American writer, Arthur Miller, was one of
those alleged to have been “blacklisted”

7. ARTHUR MILLER wrote one of the most influential plays in
American literature,
The Crucible, which
was written about “The
Salem Witch Trials,” but it
was actually a thinly
disguised play about McCarthyism.

8. WHY WAS THE CRUCIBLE WRITTEN?
The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller in 1953 as an
allegory for McCarthyism or the so called (second) Red Scare.
Miller felt many personal convictions to McCarthyism as a
result of a multitude of events that happened in his life.
Wanting to point out to the world the amazing parallel
between the unjust Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the
(second) Red Scare, Miller wrote The Crucible to make a
powerful statement about the dangers of
hysteria and the dehumanization that can
result.

9. ARTHUR MILLER (Continued)
In 1953, Arthur Miller wrote and produced his play, The
Crucible. Ironically, many of his friends were being
persecuted for their pro-communist beliefs. Miller himself was
called before the House Un-American Activities Committee in
1956, and like his protagonist in The Crucible, he refused to
implicate others involved in activities condemned by society
at the time.
Much has been written and said about the
analogy drawn between McCarthy’s activities in connection
with his House Committee and the events that took place
during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as they are portrayed
in Miller’s play.

10. Who did the “Red Scare” affect?
This movement affected anyone, but
especially entertainers such as actors,
screenwriters, singers, playwrights,
musicians, and authors. Who was
responsible? – Joseph McCarthy and his
House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC).

11. During this time, Sen. McCarthy – and
others – created a “blacklist” of those
people believed to be Communists; these
people, including celebrities, often lost
money, their jobs, and their freedoms
because of these false accusations

12. HUAC The HUAC was a group formed specifically to
investigate any cases of alleged Communism.
This group investigated anyone who seemed
“unusual” or “outside of the norm,” anyone who
questioned society or who took risks.
Another famous HUAC
member was J. Edgar Hoover.

13. Why Miller Cared So Much:
First, Arthur Miller was claiming his own political statement about the times.
Even more importantly, Miller was retaliating
against the government for their actions against
him. Yes, McCarthy and his gang had even
accused Miller of being a COMMUNIST

14. Miller Made His Mark:
Miller had a bone to pick with the guys who accused him of Communism simply because of his play Death of a Salesman. Critics accused him of being too morbid and referred to the character Wally as “simply a nut”. In fact, Columbia studios released another play and movie, Life of a Salesman, which portrayed the play “as it should be.”

15. The Crucible
The result was The Crucible, the play later made into several different movie versions, which became a huge success.

16. Celebrities Accused of McCarthyism
Lucille Ball, actress

17. Richard N. Wright, author

18. Charlie Chaplin, comedian and entertainer

19. Lena Horne, singer/actress

20. Pete Seeger, folk singer

21. Langston Hughes, author

22. Aaron Copland, composer

23. ...and many more…. “The Hollywood Ten:”

24. HOLLYWOOD TEN In September of 1947, the HUAC subpoenaed
nineteen witnesses (most of whom were actors,
directors, and writers) who had previously refused
to comment, claiming their Fifth Amendment rights.
Eleven of the seventeen were called to testify; only
one actually spoke on the stand—the remaining ten
refused to speak and were labeled the “Hollywood
Ten.”