The Crucible and McCarthyism

Many times it has been said that if people learn form their mistakes they are doomed to repeat them. Such is the case throughout history. There are many different examples of this, but one example is the blatant similarities between the witch hunts in Salem Massachusetts and the era of McCarthyism. When looking at either one of theses events separately it is hard to believe that they could have actually happened, not only once but, …

…by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Among the many similarities between the two events are the way in which it effected the lives of those who participated, the questioning that was brought upon the people that were accused, and the manner in which each event came to an end through the realization of how unnecessary it really was. The Crucible by Arthur Miller does an excellent job of creating the analogy between the two, very separate, events.