Friday, May 27, 2011

Who is the leader of the girls in "The Crucible"? How would you describe Mary Warren in relation to the other girls?

Abigail Williams is the obvious leader.  She is headstrong, smart, and very manipulative.  She knows right from wrong, and twists is all around to her benefit.  She admits what they were doing in the forest to John Proctor, but threatens the other girls to stick by her by using the fear of being tried and hanged as witches.  They both love and fear her.  The admire her strength and want to be more like her instead of bowing down to the strict way of life of the Puritans, but they also fear the law of the community in which they live...partly because she uses it to her advantage to get them to do her bidding.

Mary Warren is not as strong as Abigail, but she also knows the truth of the matter.  She is stronger than the other girls who blindly follow Abigail's lead.  However, Mary is only strong in her conviction when John Proctor is there beside her.  She loses her strength and the will to tell the truth in the presence of Abigail and the other girls.  Her desire to be accepted by the Abby and the other girls is much stronger than her desire to please her employer, John Proctor. 

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