Witchcraft In The Crucible

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Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it's someone else being hunted (Walter Kirn). The definition of witchcraft is, a situation where accusations are made freely, especially against someone or something that is not popular with the majority. It’s been proven to be human nature to go to extreme lengths for personal gain, accuse others out of fear, or having fear itself. The Crucible, is based off a story of young girls in Salem, who claim to be affected by the devil practicing witchcraft. The girls in the village start accusing citizens in Salem of practicing witchcraft, choosing victims who they are not fond of. The Crucible reflects on the Salem witch trials in 1692. The accusation of being connected with evil spirits in modern days is …show more content…
Horowitz reported, in Queens N.Y.; a man was arrested for beating to death his girlfriend, Estrella Castaneda, 56, and her daughter, Lina Castaneda, 25. Carlos Alberto Amarillo told the police that the women were “witches” and were “performing vodou and casting spells” on him. Accusing these women of performing vodou and casting spells on this man, is an example the extreme lengths fear could take a person, Carlos Alberto Amarillo did put himself in a severe position out of the fear he had of these women. In the website, howstuffworks, the article by Julia Layton, it states, that fear is a chain reaction in the brain that starts with a stressful stimulus and ends with the release of …show more content…
Another article published by The New York Times, “ U.N (united nations) Calls on Papua New Guinea to Curb Violence After Burning Death of Women” by Nick Cumming-Bruce The article was based on the brutal attack that relatives of a 6 year old boy laid upon 20 year old, Kepari Leniata, after his unknown passing. She had to bare being stripped, tortured, and drenched in gasoline in front of hundreds, until eventually burned alive. The New York Times then mentions Cecile Pouilly, a spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights who said “This case adds to the growing pattern of vigilante attacks and killings of persons accused of the sorcery in Papua New Guinea” (Cumming -Bruce)With these unexplained deaths and with little to no medical attention in these poor countries, the people look for answer for their lost, people who were not fond of this single woman, who was already in danger of this for not being wed, would have easily encouraged and leaded the family to think this way, to add, it is proven that women that are widows and don’t have family to protect them are the targeted and sadly, are usually labeled as a witch. This is an example of an benefical gain, for the family to find a reason and those that didn’t like this lady.It is human nature to do something terrible in order to be able to benefit one self, Just