The Crucible Belonging Essay

Individuals will all at some stage in their life be alienated and dislocated yet also accepted and connected. These experiences and feelings are determined by the individual’s interactions with others and their world. A person’s interaction with society and authority figures will often diminish a sense of belonging and identity if one is forced to conform to societal expectations. Furthermore interactions with others based on dishonesty and manipulation will ultimately result in a limited sense of belonging. Despite this, if an individual’s relationship with others involves a sense of acceptance and honesty, then this interaction will enrich their sense of belonging and aid the individual in finding a sense of self and identity. This enrichment and limiting of belonging can be demonstrated through Arthur Miller’s allegoric lay ‘The Crucible’ and Melina Marchetta’s novel ‘Looking for Alibrandi’. Both texts make strong statements about society, highlighting flaws and issues that both limited and enriched the composer’s sense of self and unity.
Miller strongly demonstrates how many individuals can be pressured to conform to societal expectations ultimately alienating them as they lose their sense of self. Abigail Williams pressures all the girls to belong in her group, and in particular, Mary Warren in Act 3. Mary warren feels as though in John Proctor’s eyes, she is just a child, a servant and of lower class. After choosing to go against her former peer group, the girls turn on her resulting in Mary giving in and choosing to return to the group as she does not wish to “hang with John Proctor” yelling “I love god, I love god”. She makes this informed decision based on saving her own life and feel as though she belongs to Abigail’s group. “Abby, Abby, I’ll never hurt you more”. In contrast, Deputy Governor Danforth is a proud and powerful symbol of the theocracy and authority in the Salem society. He particularly uses high modality when speaking with John Proctor as