The Crucible Character Analysis Essay

This assignment is a character analysis essay in which you will analyze a character’s journey through the Salem Witch Trials as Arthur Miller portrays them in his play The Crucible. You will include a thesis statement that makes an overall observation about your character’s motivation, choices, and change. You are answering the following questions:

  • 1st body paragraph – What motivates this character’s behavior?
  • 2nd body paragraph – What choices does the character make that affect the outcome of his or her situation?
  • 3rd body paragraph – How does he or she change by the end of the play?

Through analysis and documentation (finding quotes and providing commentary), you will prove your thesis statement by answering the questions. Throughout the play, the characters and their personalities change through their motivations, their choices, and their actions. You will need to look back through the play to find significant quotes that reveal these changes in order to fully support your paper.

REQUIREMENTS:

The characters you may choose from are: Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, or Reverend Jonathan Hale.

You must include 3 to 5 parenthetical citation.

The paper must be typed in MLA format. Create an original title. Your completed essay will include 5 paragraphs and 1-1/2 – 2 pages in length. Times New Roman. Size 12 Font. 1” margins all around. MLA Heading.

ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES:

Character selection___October 3/4______

Thesis statement___October 3/4______

Rough draft___October 14/15 (After Fall Break)______

Final draft___October 16/14______

THESIS STATEMENT: (This is a suggestion!)

Since ______is motivated by ______, his/her decision to ______creates ______by the end of the play.

NAME: ______PERIOD: _____

The Crucible Character Analysis Chart

Write the character’s name that you have chosen: ______

HINT: turn this page sideways to make the most out of the space in the columns.

What motivates this character’s behavior? Why does he/she behave this way? / What choices does the character make that affect the outcome of his/her situation? / How does he/she changes by the end of the play?

NAME: ______PERIOD: _____

The Crucible Character Analysis Planning Pages

Introduction – Begin with a hook to get your reader’s attention. A broad statement about Puritan society would be appropriate also. Mention the name of the play, author, and brief summary. End with your thesis statement.

______

  1. Re-read your introduction and make sure you have not done the following:
  2. Use first or second person (I, you, me, your).
  3. Use contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t, etc.).
  4. Use past or future tenses. Why? Because you need to write in present tense.
  5. You are now ready to come and show me your thesis statement, introduction and quotes.
  6. Now you can move on to writing your first and second paragraphs.

Body paragraph 1 answers this question: What motivates this character’s behavior?

Claim: ______
Quote: ______
Commentary: ______
Closing Statement: ______

Body paragraph 2 answers this question: What choices does the character make that affect the outcome of his/her situation?

Claim: ______
Quote: ______
Commentary: ______
Closing Statement: ______

Body paragraph 3 answers this question: How does he/she change by the end of the play?

Claim: ______
Quote: ______
______
Commentary: ______
Closing Statement: ______
  1. Re-read your body paragraphs and make sure you have not done the following:
  2. Use first or second person (I, you, me, your).
  3. Use contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t, etc.).
  4. Use past or future tenses. Why? Because you need to write in present tense.
  5. Forgot to give credit to Arthur Miller by not documenting your quote.
  6. Embedding your quote.
  7. Now you can write your conclusion.

Here are some suggestions for your concluding paragraph:

  • Re-state thesis
  • Spend one sentence/question to remind reader what you discussed
  • universalize (compare to other situations).

1.Re-read your conclusion and make sure you have not done the following:

  1. Use first or second person (I, you, me, your).
  2. Use contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t, etc.).
  3. Use past or future tenses. Why? Because you need to write in present tense.
  4. Not re-stated your thesis.
  5. Not spend one sentence/example reminding reader what you discussed.
  6. Wrap-up the paper.