Presentation on "Guilt"

Guilt
By: Clifford Lindsey Alderman
“As usual, when some great injustice is brought to light, no one wanted to take the blame. The guilty ones set about to find a scapegoat, thinking this would ease their own consciences.”
Analysis by: Melisa C, Gisell, Ana, Brandon, Albert
Injustice: The whole situation was simply unjust. This usage of diction sums up the whole Salem Witch trials as well as similar periods in world history in which mass hysteria based on false pretences led to the death of innocent people.
Scapegoat: According to Alderman’s analysis of the Salem Witch Trials, Reverend Samuel Parris had motive to start the accusations and the means to make the intended hysteria a success, making him the guiltiest.
Motives: Starting an event of mass hysteria, such as accusations of witchcrafts would get more people going to church, which happened to be a desirable goal of Parris. He sought to broaden the outreach of his sermons and the numbers in his congregation. Parris, who was insanely anal, would have wanted anyone who opposed his plans to spread the word of God gone. The Salem Witch Trials allowed him the opportunity to do this.
Means: The witch craft delusion had in fact begun right in his house. He was also first to bring out the afflicted girl’s secret of what had occurred with Tituba. He was relentless in pursuing his hunt for these “witches” that had afflicted the girls.
Guilt: Guilt is a major theme in the play, and in the events that actually occurred in reality. Guilt is what allows John Proctor to confess of his infidelity in the play and in reality, guilt picked at the hearts of those who lied about being witches or accused others of being witches.
The citizens of the colony during this time demanded that there be a day of repentance, in which people could atone for their sins during the Salem Witch Trials. This day was January 15, 1697, a day of atonement and fasting.
Judge Sewall who had sent nineteen people to death was plagued by guilt. It was said that he made his son read him a passage from the bible that said “But if ye had known what this meaneth: ‘I will have mercy and not sacrifice,’ ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” This made Sewall conscience of all that he had done wrong, and he sought peace at mind. He then confessed in public what he had done wrong.
Thomas Fisk and the other eleven members of the jury which had convicted Rebecca Nurse confessed on the day of atonement.
Mr. Hale wrote a pamphlet in which he confessed that he too had been wrong in the accusations.
Ann Putnam confessed as well.