Taken place in the late 17th century, the Salem witch trials turned family members and long time friends against each other. The citizens of Salem, Massachusetts feared that there were witches among them, and even the slightest hint of strange behavior caused an uproar and a court trial. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, tells the story of the many accusations and their consequences. This play should be part of the English III curriculum. It has a different style of writing, the language goes along with the times, it is based on real events, and the difficulty level is just right.

One of the most important reasons why The Crucible should be part of the curriculum is because of its historical context. Very few of the books read for class are based on historical events. Reading about these events is important because students can learn from mistakes made in the past and know better for the future. During the Salem witch trials, occurring between the years 1692 and 1693, more than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the Devil's magic—and 20 of those were executed (Smithsonian 1). People turned their backs on and refused to help each other out in the fear that they themselves would be accused of being a witch. They did not know who to believe anymore; friends, family, and neighbors were being convicted. Even community leaders were questioned, found guilty, and hanged. The book revolves around the stories of a couple teenage girls, led by Abigail Williams. They are found dancing in a forest and accused of witchcraft. Abigail forces her friends to deny the fact that they danced, but there is still suspicion (Book Review 3). The book is a good read for people in high school, and it is my belief that it should be part of the curriculum.

Tonia Jordan, a blogger, wrote a review about The Crucible. She said that before she read the book, she thought it would be “dry and academic”. Jordan later says that she “was very wrong- this was riveting, engaging, and a very quick read”(Jordan 4). She believes that if you never got a chance to read it in high school, it is definitely worth it to pick it up. She goes on, saying that it is a really good book for anyone who is interested in the Salem Witch Trials, but it still has a very wide appeal (Jordan 3). Jordan recommends the book not only because it is a classic and showcases an important historical event in history, but also because it is “honestly frightening” (Jordan 7). How people could act in such a cruel way and how easily the whole thing happened scared her. She believes that this book is one of the classics everybody should definitely read.

According to a review on dosomething.org, The Crucible is like a “17th Century Mean Girls.” The author continues, saying that it is about a queen bee manipulating her followers during a witch hunt. That is why “it's so appropriate that students read it in high schools nationwide” (Book Review 1). The author believes that the book is relateable because it revolves around the accusations against a couple of teenagers. Teenagers can understand teenagers, no matter what century they are from, so it is a good book for high school.

Christopher Bigsby, a British literary analyst, stated, "I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history" (The Crucible 1). Bigsby was a good friend and a student of Miller (Thorpe 3). He believes that the reader can learn a lot about the trials from the book. Even though the story is not one hundred percent accurate, it does contain the stories of actual people who were accused of practicing witchcraft. Bigsby believes that this book is an excellent way for people to learn about the horrors of the trials and how fear can turn people against each other.

One of the most persuasive presentations was the one for Death of a Salesman, a book also written by Arthur Miller. The members of the group were very straightforward about their argument. They believed that the book teaches important life lessons but also delivers the cold, hard truth about life. One can work incredibly hard all his/her life, but still get nowhere. Hard work does not always equal success, and life is tough. The members stated that this book is a good reality check and should be part of the English III curriculum. They also said that the book has an easy flow and therefore is easy to follow. Their argument was very convincing.
The Crucible is a very well written book. It is written in the form of a play, and its language has a seventeenth century style. The vocabulary is advanced enough for English III students, and the level of difficulty is just right. It doesn’t require a crazy amount of analysis, but there is still a bit of reading between the lines. Most importantly, the historical context helps the book stand apart from others. Not many books required for school have a historical background, so this one is a good change. It is a history lesson and a play in one, and it is a book that should definitely be part of the curriculum.