14. The Crucible


I'm taking it back to the classics today. It was a busy day, though, so I picked up a lighter one. The Crucible is a fairly thin and easy read, so I would recommend it to anyone needing a quick, filler story.


Nail-biting, hair-pulling, thrilling suspense- The Crucible brings to life the horror of the Salem Witch Trials. Miller vividly demonstrates how easily hysteria can spread, and he paints a believable picture of paranoia and vengeance. His characters are multi-dimensional, with growing personalities and realistic thoughts. As abhorrent as some of them may be to the reader (read: Abigail Williams!), they are quite believable. It is easy to become ensnared in the novel, to be captivated by the tangled web of lies, to be captured by the ugliness of the enfolding drama. It is terrifyingly apparent how the Salem Witch Trials could have actually occurred. Meshing innocence, hate, and man's perpetual search for "goodness," Miller weaves a compelling story. He explores the topic of the price of honesty- of whether it is worth dying for. In a land where lies can earn salvation and confessions of worshipping the devil can save lives, the line between "good" and "bad" is heavily blurred. It is such thought-provoking themes that make The Crucible into a literary masterpiece that will withstand time and resonate with audiences of all ages.

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