The Crucible Study Guide

1. Why does Abigail Williams live with Reverend Parris?

• She is having an affair with him.
• She is his servant.
• She is his niece.
• She is his illegitimate daughter.

2. Which of these characters is not condemned for witchery?

• Rebecca Nurse
• Giles Corey
• Bridget Bishop
• John Proctor

3. Why does Reverend Parris wish to spare Proctor?

• He fears for his life if a respected man is hanged.
• He is convinced that Proctor is innocent.
• He wishes to tear down the court.
• He wants to have revenge against Abigail.

4. "The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone." What is the significance of this line?

• It is a veiled threat that Reverend Parris uses against Proctor for opposing him.
• It is ironic, for Reverend Hale is using ambiguous marks to define the devil's presence.
• It shows that Mary Warren is a prideful girl who thinks herself the superior of the Proctors.
• It foreshadows Giles Corey's death by stoning.

5. Which of the following did not occur during the dancing?

• Tituba attempted to conjure Ruth Putnam's sisters.
• Mercy Lewis danced naked.
• Abigail Williams drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor.
• Susanna Walcott murdered a frog and a rabbit for Tituba's spell.

6. "More weight." What of the following is not significant about this line?

• Elizabeth mentions this to John as he decides whether or not to admit to witchcraft, serving as an example of a friend who sacrificed himself for a greater good.
• Giles chooses his death, sacrificing himself to spare others.
• Danforth erroneously believes that Giles will admit to witchery if placed under greater torture.
• Because Giles dies by refusing to answer questions, he is not excommunicated and dies a Christian.

7. Which of the following characters does not support John Proctor's decision to falsely admit to witchcraft?

• Reverend Hale
• Elizabeth Proctor
• Deputy Governor Danforth
• Reverend Parris

8. Why do many of the accused admit to witchcraft?

• By admitting to witchcraft they guarantee that they will not be executed.
• By admitting to witchcraft they can accuse others of the same crime.
• They are forced to admitting to witchcraft under duress and torture.
• They are actually witches.

9. Which of the following is not a complaint that Proctor has against Reverend Parris?

• Parris wastes the church money on extravagant items.
• Parris demands too much compensation, such as the right to his house.
• Parris reaches out for land at the expense of his neighbors
• Parris focuses on hell and damnation in his services.

10. "Your justice would freeze beer." To whom does this line refer?

• Thomas Putnam
• Elizabeth Proctor
• Deputy Governor Danforth
• Reverend Parris