oh the crucible, the crucible. the first book i was ever assigned for in school that i actually enjoyed reading.

i think this book is such a love of mine simply because it has such a strong nostalgia factor. sitting in my year 9 classroom, before i became chronically ill and a pandemic happened, sitting with my friends, listening to an audio recording of this play. reacting to every scene, expressing my hatred of abigail and mary to my friends, rooting for rebecca nurse, truly experiencing the atmosphere. i really think my first read of this was the best reading experience ive ever had.

this book isn’t exactly the next coming of christ. its parallels to mccarthyism sure are interesting, and i always love me some salem witch trials, but this book is what it is - a short play. but i can’t say this book doesn’t enamour me.

even knowing what happens, i was sitting here with my blood boiling, racing to hope proctor would be free and danforth would listen to the pleas of those around him.

i honestly think as more time passes this book ages like fine wine, and is very emblematic of current times. hell it can even be applied to modern day america. you don’t even have to change anything, as when miller wrote this everyone was losing their minds about communists! and republicans still are! maybe add some silly comment about 5G or the vaccines or hathorne rolling up to salem in his cybertruck. 

from a psychology standpoint this book is incredibly fascinating. and from someone who loves reading about the salem witch trials this book is incredibly fascinating. i love witches. fuck abigail and mary. shout out giles corey for being a stubborn prick.