On the day of the hangings at Gallows Hill, many watched as their friends and family were executed for crimes they did not commit. Arthur Miller wrote about what preceded this morbid event in The Crucible. The story, which records the Salem witchcraft trials, was not a spontaneous work of literature. At the time Miller wrote the play, America was agonizingly close to war with Russia and many believed that communists were infiltrating the government. Joseph McCarthy was a man who often accused people of being “reds.” Arthur Miller was one of the victims of McCarthy's verbal attacks. Although Arthur was in no way a communist, denying the accusation made others believe he was guilty. This Catch-22 scenario reminded Arthur of the Salem witchcraft trials of the late 1600s. Even though the two events were separated by hundreds of years, the "Red Scare" and the Salem witchcraft trials were similar a lot. Frenzy was the main component of each event, and this frenzy resulted in unjust prosecutions of many people. The definition, the theme, and how the theme relates to my daily life are crucial to understanding The Crucible. The definition of “crucible” is “a test.” Throughout the play, many residents of Salem are tested in various ways. Out of all the characters in The Crucible, there are three who had to make major decisions that would not only affect them but would also affect the accused. John Proctor, a man who had a fairly good reputation in Salem, underwent a moral integrity test. Throughout the story, he is plagued by guilt over having had an affair with Abigail, and in order to save his wife, he must confess to this sin in court. Before his wife, Elizabeth, is taken to prison, she tells John this...... middle of paper ...... Reading how the people in the play responded to their tests, one can think about how they react. to their own trials in everyday life. The theme of how fear and suspicion feed on themselves and result in the destruction of law and order and common sense can show the serious repercussions that arise from failing to consider all scenarios and let fear take control. The way the theme applies to my daily life gives us a concrete example of how fear can break reason and create unnecessary turmoil. Fear is a recurring emotion in Salem that many residents of the village cannot control. This fear grew into a monster that consumed the city and unjustly killed many. In modern society, controlling our fear can save innocent lives and reputations and prevent events like the Salem Witchcraft Trials from happening again..