Second Quarter/Blog 2: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Second Quarter/Blog 2: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

I am now 30 pages into this book.  Usually it would not take very long to read 30 pages, but to get this far has taken me several hours during quite a few attempts.  There really is not much going on with the plot, but the descriptions of the few characters are lengthy and it’s hard to remember who is who even though there are not that many of them.  If I had not started a blog on this book, then I probably would not keep reading, but I am committed to finish the blogs.

This plot is pretty simple.  The story in the bedroom of a young girl named Betty Parris, age 10, who is sick in bed after “dancing in the forest.”  Her father is Reverend Parris and he is praying over her, but she is not moving or waking, but she is not dead.  The talk around the town is that Betty and her cousin Abigail Williams, age 17, were seen in the woods together, that they were naked, and that were seen flying over houses.  The people of Salem “believed that the virgin forest was the Devil’s last preserve, his home base and the citadel of his final stand.  To the best of their knowledge the American forest was the last place on earth that was not paying homage to God.”

Betty wakes up and talks to Abigail.  She says they drank blood and drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife.  Abigail tells her to stop saying this and not to tell anyone.  Betty collapses again.  People from around the town come by to see what is going on.  The rumors are rampant.  Reverend John Hale is called to ascertain witchcraft, as he is said to be a specialist.  Not much is happening yet.  I find it slow and painful to stay focused and interested.  I hope it gets better soon.