The Crucible: Act I

From early on in act one, the reader can feel the tensions and panic looming over Salem and Reverend Parris' home. The play opens with Parris frantically praying in the upstairs of his home. We quickly learn however that he is not concerned with the health of his child but rather with his image and reputation as a religious leader in the town. Next, we meet the Putnams. Similarly to Parris, this couple is largely concerned with their own image and wielding social power over the town. It is said that the Putnam name can be found on many accusations against other people in the town. The idea of having a clean reputation is a common theme throughout act one. Conflict arises between different individuals such as Parris and Abigail, Proctor and Putnam and Parris, as well as Putnam and Giles. All of these people attempt to divert blame from themselves in order to maintain a clean reputation. 

Betrayal is also a large theme throughout the first act. After insisting to her friends who were also present at the event in the woods that the story remained to be that they danced and nothing else, Abigail was quick to throw Tituba under the bus. She fully removes herself from blame and puts it all on Tituba. This causes Tituba to begin confessing for fear of worse consequences. In reality, it did not matter whether or not Tituba was actually guilty of her accusations. This is because tensions were coming to a head, and Hale wanted desperately to find a dramatic answer. Tituba also then begins betraying other people by listing names of people who were witches. Betty and Abigail both join in this behavior until at least a dozen other names had been listed. I found this behavior highly disturbing. The girls were ruining other people's lives by associating them with witchcraft, yet they were making a chanting spectacle of it.