What is one theme, or moral or lesson, that Miller was communicating through his play The Crucible?
- The main themes in The Crucible include the destructive power of lies, the importance of reputation, and hysteria and corruption. The destructive power of lies: Abigail and her friends tell a series of lies to avoid being punished for breaking the rules. These lies ultimately destroy the community of Salem.
- The play was originally written as a direct criticism of McCarthyism, the practice of making accusations without proper regard for evidence. Therefore, the main idea of the play is to encourage people to remain calm during crisis situations and to not jump to the worst conclusions.
- In The Crucible, Arthur Miller's message is that public hysteria based on fear destroys people's lives.
Note: You can change it if it's wrong.