Abigail Lies Tituba Rhetorical Analysis

Scapegoating occurs when Abigail accuses Tituba of forcing her to do wicked things in order to pass the blame. In Abigail’s lies, Tituba becomes her constant torturer, day and night, sent by the Devil to tempt and attack her: “[Tituba] comes to me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions” (Miller 41). Even though Abigail herself encourages the girls in the village to dance, she understands that the consequence of admitting to doing so would result in her death. As a result Abigail sacrifices Tituba to the will of the townspeople. Once Abigail starts the cycle of accusing others, it becomes irreversible and continues until all those condemned die. Abigail, although not physically contributing to the executions herself, has more