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Comparative: Lord of the Flies and the Crucibal

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Comparative: Lord of the Flies and the Crucibal
Greed for Power

In the novel The Crucible by Arthur Miller and Lord of the Flies by William Golding greed for power causes destruction to individuals and the whole of the community. Abigail Williams threatens the girls that if anyone speaks of her actions she will hurt them. She gains power through their fear creating an entire group of girls with the power to destroy those who get in Abigails way. “And mark this. Let either of you breath a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (Miller 20). Abigail wants things to be run her way in the village and in order to do that she needs power in the court. If her sinful acts are discovered her name will be blackened and she will loose all the power that she anticipates. To avoid this she threatens the girls that have knowledge of her behaviour, causing them in fear to follow her path of destruction. During this she is destroying their inner voice and the morals they have. This group of girls also destroys the life of others in the community by accusing them of the devils work. Goody Proctor has power over Abigail because she knows more truth about her then the rest of the village and is married to the man she loves. Abigail seems threatened by Goody's position and to try and rise over her she attempts to insult Goody. “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is cold, snivelling woman, and you bend to her” (23-24). Abigail beginning to feel vulnerable destroys Goody Proctors name in front of her husband in order to add appeal and innocence to her own, possibly attempting to win him over as well. This is one of the first signs leading up to Abigail accusing Goody and threatening her life along with many others. Abigale and Jack Merridews need to be on top is a close comparison. That need drives them to intimidate and manipulate others around them in order

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