Period+B2+Discussion

Prompt, 9/30/14:
After reading the deleted scene from The Crucible, (Act 2, scene 2), argue for or against including it in a production of the play. Please support your argument by including at least one textual reference/quote in your response. Answer with depth and organize your response (about a paragraph or so) logically.

I think that Act 2 Scene 2 should be included because it adds a lot to the play. It allows us to see Abigail's complete madness, and the way she is thinking. We can understand her twisted logic to everything she's doing, which is something important to know. We also now know for sure exactly how Abigail feels about John. It also tells us more of the story about Goody Proctor: how long she's been in jail, etc. It adds a lot to the dynamic between Abigail and John, and Abigail now knows that John is ruthless in getting his wife out of jail and no longer cares for her. After John realizes how crazy Abigail is, (for example, the text says, "//seeing her madness now//: 'Oh, it isn't?'")he won't be afraid at all to testify against her. His inner conflict is over, which is an essential thing to understand in this play, that this scene allows us to do. -Avery Miller B2

I find that Act 2, Scene 2 is good for the production of the play. It allows the reader to fully understand John Proctor's new point of view on Abigail and the entire witchcraft situation. Earlier in Act 2, John was a little iffy about going to court and declaring his sins, as well as the truth about Abigail, but I think this scene allows John to come to terms with the fact that Abigail has drastically changed from the girl he once knew, and possibly loved, "...'The jab your wife game me's not healed yet, y'know.' //seeing her madness now:// Oh, it isn't'" (149). This scene explains John's official acceptance to the fact that he must support his wife and that he must not continue to string Abigail along. -Blake Mindemann B2

I do believe that this excerpt is necessary for the play, i think it clears up some things that were not directly talked about in act 2. During act 2 John struggles with deciding whether he wants to go to court and tell everyone what Abigail told him in their private conversation and risking her telling everyone that about their affair. When Proctor goes to Abigail in the forest he tells her that he will tell everyone what happened between them if she does not admit that she set up Elizabeth. So i think that this shows how proctor resolved this inner struggle and which way he decided to go with. It also shows how Proctor has decided to choose Elizabeth over Abigail. I think this scene really exemplifies that Proctor no longer has feelings for Abigail and wants nothing to do with her. -Sarah Lewis B2

I think that this excerpt is not necessary in the play because it just reinforces what the reader can already infer from previous text in Act 2. Mary Warren says "'Abby'll charge lechery on you, Mr.Proctor!'.... Proctor: 'Good then her saitnliness is done with.'" (Miller 80). Proctor already knows that Abby is cruel and that she will use their past against him if he ever threatened her, therefore this passage is irrelevant and brings nothing new into the play. -Mikayla Mathison B2

==== In the production of __The Crucible__ this scene is not be necessary, but would add an interesting dynamic to the story. This scene clearly shows Abigail's insanity; when she is talking to John Proctor about the spectral attacks that were conducted, Proctor is easily able to "[see] her madness" (24). The scene also displays how Abigail's accusations have muddled her thought process, making her actually believe in her own outlandish claims. She has convinced herself that the town is full of hypocrites and it is her duty to accuse "until the last hypocrite is dead" (36). She also believes order to save Proctor she needs to have his wife hung or else he will never be at peace. This scene while not incredibly important to the overall plot if added would clearly define Abigail's motives and her depth of involvement with the trials.====

Ian Galbraith B2

I don't believe the deleted scene that Miller wrote is necessary to include in a production of the play. The scene is very repetitive in regards to the rest of the play. Many times does Miller mention how Proctor is done seeing Abigail and wants nothing to do with her. In Act two, Proctor says to Elizabeth, "I have gone tiptoe in this house all seven month since she is gone. I have not moved from ther to there without I think to please you" (Miller 54). Proctor said to Elizabeth in Act two that he is done with Abigail, and all he wants to do now is please his wife. The deleted scene would be too much to add, because it repeats how Proctor is done seeing Abigail and has decided to tell the court her true intentions. Without the addition of the deleted scene, the audience can clearly identify Abigail's involvement and intentions with the trials, and Proctor's feelings towards Abigail and the situation through the context of the rest of the play. ---Peyten Boutwell, B2

I do not think it would be entirely necessary for this scene to be in the play because it it doesn't really give us any new information, or information that would give us a different view of the situation. This scene just emphasizes that Abigail is very determined to get John Proctor's attention and may be a little unbalanced. This is all shown very clearly in her speech about loving John and how she will be a very good wife when the world is “white again”(150) By saying that, I think she means when Elizabeth is finally dead. All of this we already know. However, I think it is good that Arthur decided to put it in the back of the play because this scene shows that John Proctor really meant it when he said that he no longer had feelings for Abigail. He really does mean that he will “curse her hotter than the oldest cinder in hell”(62)when he tells her that he “will set and bound to ruin” her if she doesn’t come forward. I also think that this scene gives us a little insight to why John Proctor is accused and taken. Though this part of Act II may give us a little detail, I think that people would be just fine on understanding the play without it. --Zi Ye O. B2

I do not believe that the deleted scene that Arthur Miller had written would be necessary to have in the play. Most of what is said in this scene has already been brought up in earlier scenes so it would just become repetitive. In this scene Abigail says to Proctor, "Never in this world! I know you John-- you are this moment singing secret hallelujahs that your wife will hang!"(Miller,152). The audience already has been told many times that Abigail truly believes that he doesn't love his wife and what this whole extra scene is about is the fact that Abigail thinks he still loves her. With that this scene is not necessary in this play because it is just repetitive and has no new plot twist that has not previously come up. --Ellie Manske, B2

I think that Arthur Miller left out Act 2 Scene 2 of the Crucible because it could have made the reader sympathize for Abigail a little more. In this act we see her of a psycho, she truly believes that she is purging the world of evil. Prior to this, Abigail is portrayed as a manipulative and dissembling character, thus causing her to be labeled as the main antagonist/villain in the story, but if Miller keeps this scene in the play, she seems to look more and more like a poor soul who has fallen to insanity because of her love for John Proctor. "And by God i will scrub the world clean for the love of him." (Miller 150). Even without this scene, Miller tries to make Abigail a less likable character by making her older and less innocent then a little girl. Scene 2 of this play would have ultimately confused the audience a little more and there would not be an obvious villain which many readers like to identify. --Cameron Seymour, B2

I think that Act 2 Scene 2 doesn't need to be in the play. All this excerpt does is form an opinion in the reader in something they probably already had their mind made up about. Also, this scene doesn't have anything rich or powerful enough to show or prove the reader anything. This scene seemed kind of repetitive and seems to say the same thing over and over. In this scene, John has seemingly decided on his actions of whether or not to confess about being alone with Abigail in order to save his wife, or not say anything and let his wife hang for a something she didn't do. I believe that this information is unnecessary and that the reader would be better off without it. --Jake Olson, B2

I feel like this scene, Act II, Scene II gives us a lot of knowledge about Abigail's character and motives. We get to see a side of her that we have never ween before, and it is quite scary how insane she has become. The most important part of this scene though, is seeing Proctor show courage and strength by deciding on what is most important for him and willingly says he will tell the truth of him cheating on his wife. "What will you tell? You will confess to fornication? In the court?' 'If you will have it so, so I will tell it!......I say I will!.....I will make you famous for the whore you are!'" (Miller 152). We can see through this how serious Procter has become. At first being uncertain and struggling with himself in the dilemma, we see in this scene that he has put the town over himself, determined to sacrifice his pride and reputation to save the people caught up in this ludicrous situation. Although this scene might be repetitive of what is to come in terms of character development because we haven't gotten to scene 3, I feel like this might have been important to be included in the play. ~Samuel Fu, B2

In my opinion I do believe that this deleted scene is important and that it should be a part of The Crucible. With this scene it shows the relationship between John Procter and Abigail and how he truly loves his wife and does not have any feelings towards Abigail. In this scene John says, "If you do not free my wife, I am set and bound to ruin you, Abby" (152). John seems to have realized in this scene that Abigail is getting out of hand and that she needs to be stopped. John is facing her and trying to fight for his wife. This scene is important because it really defines the relationships throughout the play. -Claire Quinn B2

I think the scene is relevant and if I was a director I would for sure put it in my play. This scene would provide evidence that Proctor is finally standing up for himself and doing the right thing for his honesty. Proctor exclaims, "You mad, you murderous bitch!"(Miller 152). As Proctor shouted this at Abigail he threw her down onto the floor. Abigail was agape when Proctor was being this assertive to her. Proctor grappled the situation, and stood up for his wife being framed by Abigail. This scene would of gave the reader more insightful information about these two characters and it would of really helped to understand the rest of the play. -Brett Graver, B2

In my opinion i feel like this scene is not necessary to put in the actual book. rather than providing new information it just shows a different viewpoint of the exact same situation that is going on. In this scene Proctor tells Abagail he is going to confess to the court about all that has happened between the two, Abagail replies saying " Never in this world! i know you, John- you are this moment singing secret hallelujahs that your wife will hang" (153) Abagail and her cruel ways yells back at John saying he won't do it. again, i feel this just shows a different viewpoint rather than providing new content to the novel. i don't think this scene needs to be added to the book. -jack haney b2