Question

short answer responses
on a separate sheet of paper, please write your answers with detail and thoughtfulness.
act i

1. identify betty and what is happening with her.
2. why does mrs. putnam believe there are witches in salem?
3. describe proctor.
4. what happened between abigail and john proctor prior to the opening of the play?
5. what was the \sign\ that betty was bewitched?
6. explain the political relationship between the putnam and nurse families.
7. what is rebeccas explanation of the girls behavior?
8. what is proctors reason for his not regularly attending church?
9. who is rev. john hale, and why does he come to salem?
10. hale says, \they the books must be heavy; they are weighted with authority.\ what is the significance of this remark?
11. to what did tituba confess? why?
12. what do the girls do at the end of act one?

act ii

Explanation:

1. Betty is Reverend Parris's daughter. She is in a comatose - like state at the start of the play, which fuels the witch - hunt rumors.
2. Mrs. Putnam believes there are witches in Salem because she has lost seven children in infancy and suspects supernatural forces at work.
3. Proctor is a hard - working, morally complex farmer. He is honest but has a past affair with Abigail.
4. Prior to the play, Abigail and Proctor had an affair. Proctor ended it, and Abigail is still infatuated with him.
5. The "sign" that Betty was bewitched is her inability to wake up or respond normally.
6. The Putnam and Nurse families have a political rivalry. The Putnams are wealthy but feel slighted, while the Nurses are respected and more moderate.
7. Rebecca Nurse believes the girls are just acting out and are not truly bewitched.
8. Proctor doesn't regularly attend church because he dislikes Reverend Parris's materialism and preaching style.
9. Rev. John Hale is an expert on witchcraft. He comes to Salem to investigate the supposed witchcraft cases.
10. Hale's remark about the books being weighted with authority implies that the knowledge in them gives him and the investigation credibility.
11. Tituba confesses to witchcraft under pressure and fear of punishment. She also names others to save herself.
12. At the end of Act One, the girls start naming names of supposed witches.

Answer:

1. Betty is Reverend Parris's daughter, in a comatose - like state.
2. She lost seven children in infancy and suspects supernatural causes.
3. A hard - working, morally complex farmer with a past affair.
4. They had an affair which Proctor ended.
5. Inability to wake up or respond normally.
6. There is a political rivalry; Putnams are wealthy but feel slighted, Nurses are respected.
7. She believes the girls are just acting out.
8. Dislikes Parris's materialism and preaching style.
9. An expert on witchcraft, comes to investigate.
10. Implies the books give the investigation credibility.
11. Confesses to witchcraft under pressure, names others to save herself.
12. Start naming names of supposed witches.