Examples Of Transcendentalism In The Crucible

“The Devil and Tom Walker,” The Crucible, and Transcendentalism
Name: ________________________ Per: _____ Date: _____________
“The Devil and Tom Walker” takes place in an area near the Salem witch trials (outside of Boston) and about 30 years after. Think about how “The Devil and Tom Walker” is a reaction against those Puritan times and how it marks a movement towards transcendentalism by completing the graphic organizer. Keep in mind how one movement looks back upon another. Nature | The PuritansThe forest is scary (witchcraft occurs there) and nature must be tamed by people.Be productive and use nature’s resources. | The Devil and Tom WalkerThe forest is where the devil lives and where people make bad decisions. Nature is likened to
However, as seen in The Crucible, some like Mr. Putnam, were out to get an inheritance, etc., and there was jealousy and strife (between Parris and Putnam, etc.) for prestige and acceptance. | Greed is akin to selling yourself to the devil. Greed hits everyone (Tom and his wife are poor) yet they are greedy. Greed leads to taking advantage of others and prohibits spiritual growth. | Celebrates the person who lives simply and who doesn’t need lots of things and is more concerned with spiritual and intellectual advancement. Greed gets in the way of spiritual growth.
(Hale criticizes Proctor for avoiding church and forgetting a commandment.)The spiritual center is the church. | The Devil and Tom WalkerTom is starting to venture out on his own a bit from organized religion a la the transcendentalists, but later in life robotically comes back to it without real passion or interest.His adamant adherence to religion is likened to his adamant adherence to greed and rings false. | TranscendentalismOrganized religion is not needed and might even be a distraction to the person in obtaining spiritual enlightenment on one’s own.