The Modern Puritans

      In this modern society, I don't believe there are any groups, at least none that I have heard of, that are as strict as the Puritans were.  With that being said, there can be some similarities between the old Puritan ways and our society nowadays.
      In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne gets shunned and publicly humiliated because of an act against the law.  She had to stand on a scaffolding for hours, while people stared at her, and she also has to wear a scarlet letter "A" on her chest to show everyone of her sin.  This still happens in our society today, even though it isn't for the same reasons.  Hester committed adultery, which back then was one of the worst things you could have done.  If someone today were to do something bad, they would also be publicly humiliated.  Even though  they wouldn't have to stand on a scaffolding, everyone would know what they did because the media makes it so that everyone knows.
      For Hester, the scarlet letter follows her where ever she goes.  For the people who may do something bad, their "scarlet letter" follows them around, too.  They aren't able to apply for jobs or to be accepted in society because of what they did.  So in this way, I believe our overall society is like that of the Puritans.  We still aren't able to accept people for their mistakes.  

John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?

John Proctor is made out to be the tragic hero throughout The Crucible.  The dictionary defines a tragic hero as " a literary character who makes an error of judgement or has a fatal flaw that, combines with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy" (dictionary.com).  Personally, I couldn't of explained John Proctor better myself.  Proctor is portrayed as good man, with his error in judgement being that he had had an affair with Abigail Williams. The external forces, better known as Abigail Williams,  then accuses Elizabeth Proctor ( John's wife) of witchcraft, in the better hopes of having her hanged and having Proctor all to herself.  Proctor cries out about Abigail, saying " She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave!"(page 1333.)  The tragedy to Proctor is (1) his wife may get hanged and (2) his good name may be ruined if anyone finds out about the affair.  I don't believe proctor should have been executed either, even though he made a mistake,  it just unravels and creates a bigger problem not only for Proctor, but for the people around him as well.

Arrivals....There goes the Neighborhood

We all remember how the old elementary school rhyme goes "Christopher Columbus sailed to ocean blue in 1492."  Christopher Columbus, the guy we can thank for a day off of school, the incredible guy who we give credit to finding America, but was he really such a great guy?  When Christopher Columbus arived in America for the first time he did not treat the Native American's very well.  He wrote in his journal "They should be good servants .... I, our Lord being pleased, will take hence, at the time of my departure, six natives for your Highnesses."  On his second voyage to America, he sent many Native Americans back to Spain to be used as slaves.

On arrival in the Indies, Colmbus had taken "some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts." What he wanted most, was gold and treasures since he was entitled by the King and Queen of Spain to 10 percent of all profits.

Overall, Christopher Columbus did not respect the Natives.  He even went as far as destroying Native Communities.  Even though Columbus' arrival was hazardous to the Natives, some arrivals are benficial to a neighborhood.  You could take my neighborhood for example.  A couple years ago, a new family moved into the house next to mine. Sometimes neighbors can be annoying or rude, but I got lucky because my new neighbor turned out to be my new best friend, who I'm still best friends with to this day.