You Can't Handle the Truth: Teaching Arthur Miller's The Crucible
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Lesson #4: The Hollywood Blacklist
The Salem Witch Trials really did happen, but Miller used a more recent example from American history as the basis for The Crucible. Read an essay Miller wrote "Why I Wrote The Crucible"
Now that you know what the Hollywood Blacklist is, read these three links:
How would you feel if you were called to testify? Would you name names to protect yourself?
Many famous people were accused of being Communists and were called to testify: Lucille Ball ("I Love Lucy"), Ronald Reagan (though he became a "friendly witness" and named names of those he reportedly saw at Communist meetings, Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and of course, Arthur Miller.
Arthur Miller is a local boy--he grew up in Brooklyn! For more information about Arthur Miller, read this biography of Arthur Miller
student work | lessons | writing assignments | resources | opening page