Text and Human Experiences

Understanding the Module:

- Most engaging texts explore the human reaction to more challenging or dramatic events,
making their responses realistic and insightful about the human condition and are worth
analysing. Understanding such experiences can and do hold varying impacts on people. Part
of the appeal of texts that portray significant experiences is their illustration of how one
situation can breed a multitude of responses that are all plausible, showing their inherent
conflict that defines humanity.
- Human experiences are both individual and group – they can be common to people from
different places and times or they can be different. Any engaging story should have the
ability to explore timeless concerns that humanity has always faced yet still illustrate unique
perspectives of the individual characters. Universal ideas presented in texts (e.g. love, family,
freedom and anxiety) are ones that are only enhanced by the specific experiences of the
characters as it allows for a more engaging depiction of such concerns. That is, as
responders, we still seem to relate to many of the emotions evoked or concerns explored in
these texts despite it not being entirely reflective of our own lives.
- One of the defining qualities or features of humanity is that we simply cannot be confined to
a single label. Even in situations where we are expected to react a certain way, people will
always surprise us by doing the opposite. Its this notion of the inherent conflict between
people, cultures and even within ourselves, that idea of anomalies, paradoxes and
inconsistences arises from.
- Its paradoxical that we see ourselves as separate human beings and yet all identify as being
human beings. We talk about universal experiences – what unites us – and yet we reject the
idea of the universality when we celebrate the achievement of individuals.
- The role of storytelling it is ability to reflect on certain cultures or experience. Texts are
always a product of their time and of the composer’s context. The role of storytelling is both
to reflect certain cultures and unite all of us by showing how humanity as its core can find
harmony with one another despite our varied experiences. The role of story telling is to help
responders understand what it really means to be human to take pain, happiness, sorrow or
surprising experiences and turn it into a piece of art than can be shared endlessly, effectively
immortalising the composer’s name in a way that defies our physical limitations. Texts are a
vehicle to represent human experiences through language.

What is the human experience?

- Life encounters of an individual or a wider group that shapes the human psyche in one or
more ways. Including life stages, key milestones, emotions, dealing with questions of
existence, cultural/historical events and mundane, everyday activities.
- Human experiences: the vast array of interactions and emotions we experience on the
journey from birth to death.
- Human qualities: the distinctive attributes, characteristics and properties that make is
human.
- Human condition: the characteristics, key events and situations which compose the
essentials of human existence – including birth, growth, emotionality, aspiration, conflict
and mortality.
- Human psyche: the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious.
 - The word experiences seem innately connected to the human condition and it is something
we have each day whether a mundane experience that is repetitive or something new and
dramatic which offers challenges and rewards.
- Experiences are widespread and often shared: this is why people tell their stories and these
shared experiences form part of our cultural heritage. These experiences often inform, warn
and teach across entire cultural groups and many stories are shared across cultures.
- New experiences are always met with excitement and often trepidation as to what change
they might bring. Change can cause great upheavals in society, with violent reaction while
other changes brought through various experiences are welcomed and may change how
people live and comprehend the world. Experiences affect us emotionally in many cases
rather than logically and when we deal emotionally behaviours become unpredictable. This
causes the paradoxes, anomalies and inconsistencies.
- Human experience synonyms, shows how important it is in the human psyche:

 Actions  Wisdom  Judgment

 Involvement  Actuality  Observation
 Maturity  Caution  Perspicacity
 Participation  Combat  Practicality
 Patience  Evidence  Sophistication
 Practice  Existences  Strife
 Reality  Exposures  Worldliness
 Struggle  Intimacy  Forbearance
 Understanding  Inwardness

Unseen text Notes:

Approaching texts for the first time:

Poetry –

1) Read it. Then reread it. Reread it again. Write down any emotions the poem evokes any
thoughts it gives rise to.
2) Go through line by line and expound on the literary techniques – includes things like
metaphors, allusions, imagery, etc.

Visual text –

1) Anything that stands out is bound to be a technique that you can analyse. Everything in
English is intentional.
2) Notice what is omitted from a visual text if you want to provide a deep holistic analysis in
your response. This refers to the parts in a visual text that have been left out intentionally –
it is an artistic choice that conveys meaning. The omission of certain aspects often
accentuates the aspects that are present.
3) Think about how the author wanted their visual text to be received. Consider what mood
the text evokes and why this the case.

Non-fiction text –

1) Added challenge of being linked with real world historical and social concerns more directly
than fictional texts.
 2) You should be on the lookout for links between what you are reading, and real-world people
and events.

Short answers:

- Look at the verbs in the question

 Analyse
 Assess
 Critically (analyse/evaluate)
 Discuss
 Justify
- Look at the concept  include the concept in the first sentence  use the words of the
question in your response  add ideas from the rubric to make it sound more sophisticated.
- Structure:
1) Concept in the question and expansion through rubric.
2) Textual analysis (x2), including:
 Quote
 Technique
 Explanation of effect
 Explanation of how it links to number one
3) Link back to your concept

Questions worth more than 5 marks:

- Mini essay structure:

1) Think of a concept in the question that can be applied to both texts and question
2) Text 1 - Analyse as many quotes as you can (it makes up for half of the mark)
3) Text 2 – Do the same as 1.
4) Concluding sentence links back to the point in the first concept statement.
- Read the question before looking at the unseen texts  gives you a better understanding of
the texts  able to fins techniques in the texts that better suit the question.

Contexts:
- Arthur Miller was an American playwright. Was born to Polish Immigrants in New York in
1915. His family suffered as a result of the Wall Street Crash of the late 1920s. Most of his
plays examine the failure of the American dream. Miller’s work is highly didactic and
drowning with political commentary and political criticism.
- Miller employs the narrative of the Salem Witch trials of 1692 as an allegory for the 1950s
era of McCarthyism, which was characterised by an intense and hysterical fear of
communism for his play ‘The Crucible’.
- Salem Witch Trials – were a series of accusations, investigations and the eventual
prosecution of 19 supposed ‘witches’ in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, America. Many
individuals influenced strongly by the theocracy of their government and religious
indoctrinations were steady in their belief of the supernatural and its manifestations in
human form – particularly witches.
- This event has now become synonymous with mass hysteria and is often used as a
cautionary legend or historical example of the dangers of ideology, deceit, lies and treachery
in the court system.
 - McCarthyism – Miller composed his play during the dramatic and highly politicised
McCarthy era of the 1940-50’s. during this period Joseph McCarthy, a conservative senator,
lead many infamous ‘witch-hunts’ against suspected communists and their various
sympathisers within the US. The US was a capitalist democracy, but there was widespread
concern that the spread of communism as alternative to capitalism (as well as the espionage
operations from Soviet Russia) posed a threat to the American way of life.
- It was a dangerous time for many left-leaning civilians, artists and activists, including Arthur
Miller who was arrested as part of this fear movement. Those who were indicted were made
to choose between admitting their ‘allegiances’ and surrounding their ‘comrades’ or being
criminally charges and subsequently having their names published and sullied. This ethical
choice is not dissimilar from that given to Proctor during ‘the Crucible’ whereby he can
either cooperate and incriminate his friends or refuse and lose his life.

Purpose:
- Miller invites the audience to view the repression and lack of freedom in Salem as being ‘un-
American’ in the historical sense, that is, in the way Americans see their country as the
‘home of the brave and the land of the free’.
- Miller also draws a connection between Salem witch hunts and the McCarthy-led
‘communist hunt’s and sees that latter as ‘un-American’. In this American sense it is un-
American to be represented by an authoritarian society. It seen as being heroic to stand up
stand up to oppression and to make the choice to resist. This is reflected in not only the
context of Salem but also reflects Miller’s own context in a society was in grip of paranoia
about the communist ideology.

Thesis Ideas
- Intrinsic to the human conditions is our desire…
- Its imperative that we use art to more deeply comprehend concerns the feelings that define
our existence and experiences, providing a masterfully crafted depiction of what it is that
makes us human.
- Human behaviour is often erratic because of our intrinsic chaotic nature – that is largely
what it means to be human, and by representing this is such an evocative way Miller allows
the audience to more deeply understand that.

Learning Frameworks
Attitudes, Values, Quote Technique and Composer’s effect on
Ideas explanation of meaning
significance
Hysteria and fear 1.“Hatred of neighbours” [Link] – alludes 1. Miller’s preamble
to the contrived idea is an indictment of
of America’s hatred the ‘witch-hunts’ of
of their communist his era  play is an
“neighbours” in the allegory to the
East. McCarthy era of
2. “there are wheels within 2. Allusion – to the 1940s-50s.
wheels in this village, and witch hunts and the 2. As hysteria
fires within fires!” (Ann damaging events infiltrates everyday
Putnam) that happen in Salem life and provides a
 Audience become platform for old
clear of the hidden grievances to be
motivations that are renewed in a socially
the driving force acceptable manner.
behind the witch Overwhelmed the
hunts. Salemites find it
3. “an endless capacity for 3. Harsh adjectives – incredibly difficult to
dissembling” initially suggest foster sense or
Abigail is promote logic
manipulative and amongst the rampant
deceptive. disorder.
4. Visual imagery – 3. Portrays Abigail
4. “It was black, and I-” used to vividly antagonist and
describe perpetrator for the
encountering the hysteria of Salem.
devil, is a lie as 4. hysteria that
Tituba is forced to engulfs Salem is first
come up with as a demonstrated by
means of survival Tituba in her fright
within this paranoid and fury following
5. “I saw” society. accusations by
5. miller portrays the Abigail in Act 1. Each
acceleration od agent feeds off the
hysterics through the other’s exhilaration
pace and poetic and frenzy.
rhythm of the 5. This allows readers
accusations. The use to imagine how each
of anaphora before member,
ever accusation participating or
instead of repetitive observing, would
use of “and” creates have been caught up
a distinctive pace in the sensationalism
6. “powerless…whimpering” within the scene. and exaggerated
6. Stage direction – nature of the event,
captures how quickly thus demonstrating
hysteria can the wild and fast-
consume a small spreading nature of
community in scenes fear.
with multiple 6. Millers uses this
characters whereby climax to
collective fear is demonstrate to the
7. “The town has gone wild… most evident, audience how quickly
I think where [Abigail] walks specifically in the individuals can be
they crowd parts the Sea of court. swept up in fear,
Israel.” 7. Elizabeth’s simile especially when
elucidates the supported by others
divisive power around them. This
politics endeavours particular breed of
through a fitting fear and hysteria is
biblical analogy. “I exacerbated by the
think” suggests the suspicions and
conscientious accusations amongst
earnestness the the community
community could use which have a
against the diabolical tendency to fall upon
impetus witch-hunt. individuals.
7. the ability to think
autonomously and
rationally is the
antidote to hysteria,
however,
paradoxically its
hysteria that
prevents such
thoughts occurring.
The corruption of 1.“a deeply embittered 1. juxtaposition 1. through these
power man” with “many between Putnam vicissitudes of good
grievances” (Putnam) and Proctor, two and evil, Miller
men with power, explores the
influence and corruption of power,
importance within presents a critique of
the community – this his own society by
contrast represents demonstrating how
the evil of society in when evil in man
his attempts to manifests, corrupting
manipulate the their morality, it
hysteria of a becomes difficult to
weakened decipher, recognise
community for his or indeed preserve
own personal and the good in
vindictive gain – an humanity.
ambition Miller
criticises.
2. “burns a hot fire” 2. Governor Danforth 2. Miller illustrates
characterised with him like many of the
holding great other characters as
authority in the court disillusioned in his
room and is a stickler opinion on the power
for process and of authority and the
method in intuitions that govern
proceedings. society, oblivious
how susceptible they
are to corruption.
3. “If I must answer that, I 3. Imperative tone – 3. Miller represents
will leave, and I will not is important as it the collapses of the
come back! [Danforth seems challenges the power community of Salem
unsteady]” of Danforth who is of by focusing on the
seen as the most paradox occurring in
important and the court. Its ironic
powerful man in that Abigail, a young
Salem girl, has the power to
Stage direction – manipulates the
indicates Abigail has Deputy Governor of
power over the Province and that
Danforth. he will let her dictate
4. Repetition – of this the terms of the trial.
4. “they’ve come to statement illustrates 4. He is also
overthrow the court” how quick Parris is to employed by Miller
accuse others of to communicate the
undermining his corruption of power
authority lest they by those who are
dare accuse him of supposedly loyal to
any misgivings. the will of the
people, in which the
Reverend exploits his
position as a leader
 and trusted figure in
this community to
disturb the course of
justice and prevent
the return of peace
for his own benefit
and survival.

Miller constructs
Salem as an
extended analogy on
the conflict of power
and ultimately good
and evil within
humanity;
demonstrating how
events such as those
seen in the play
divide the masses to
act out of either the
good or evil nature
present within every
individual or
authorial state.

The dangers of 1.“Theology, sir, is a fortress; 1. Metaphor – Hale 1. Miller portrays the
religion/theocracy no crack in a fortress may be suggests that significant role of
accounted small” spiritual life is a religion in
battle relationships and
Puritan society
intricately, while
additionally offering
critiques on the
dangers of ideology
and a strict
adherence or
devotion to certain
norms or beliefs at
the expense of logic,
rationality, free-
thinking.
2. “we cannot look to 2. Illustrates Hale’s 2. Hale is
superstition in this, the devil belief in the idea of disillusioned about
is precise” witchcraft whilst the toxicity of
illuminating his religion and the
commitment to the motives of the
cause. At this point masses, preferring to
Haled is portrayed to see people as either
be logical, if good or bad. His
somewhat arrogant perceptions of
 and a misled human nature, like
character. many others, doesn’t
exist on a spectrum
or with any nuance
and is instead
confined to
categories which
Miller criticises many
characters for.
3. “are weighted with 3. Use of props, 3. Reverend Hale’s
authority” symbolism, assertion that his
metonym – used for books on witchcraft
the theocratic values are … underscorces
to which the Puritan his theocratic
society subscribes, personality, making it
and their all the more
disappearance significant when he is
symbolises the seen with out his
freedom that’s a books in the final act.
relinquishment such The evaporation of
values facilitates. Hale’s books
between acts 1-4
marks not only the
transformation in his
characters, but a
change in the role
the clergy from the
17th century’s
scholar-minister to a
minister of another,
humane sort, as the
power of theocracy
begins to wane. He is
employed to
communicate Miller’s
message about the
danger of religion no
matter how sound
the individual’s
morals. Thus, he also
comes to illustrate
the danger of
ideology and such
unyielding trust in
God that allows
people to overlook
their personal,
deeply rooted morals
and the integrity
those they are
accusing.
 4. “Innocent until proven 4. Character 4. Hale becomes on
guilty” and “no lightest development the few religious
qualm con conscience” figures of authority
who advocates for a
fair trial which a
more humane
philosophy that
demands facts,
evidence – an
approach Miller
wanted to promote
himself, given his
experience in the
McCarthy era.
5. “many honest people will 5. Danforth is 5/6. Though Danforth
weep for them and our good portrayed as too Miller criticises the
purpose will be lost in their stubborn to correct combination of
tears” his beliefs and religion and law,
compromise his suggesting that it
assumptions places biased
6. “a person is either with Same as individuals in
this court or against it, there above positions of power
is no in-between.” and fails to promote
justice.

7. “weight judge” 7. Adjective that 7. Miller’s use of

alludes to the heavy characterisation, the
responsibility his bias audience witness
illustrates how how authority can be
tenuous the corrupted by
relationship between personal ideology
law and religion is, and how misguided
specifically how beliefs and irrational
easily faith can thinking amongst
supersede law and political and societal
justice. leadership can have
drastic
consequences.
Crisis of integrity 1. ‘with a flash of anger’ [Link] of stage 1. Miller reflects on
(stage direction) “How dare direction shows the Salem’s conservative
you call me a child” (Act 1, p audience the culture. Abigail is
29). desperate actions of affronted and
Abigail. disappointed that
even the act of sex
with an older man
has not turned her
into an adult in
Salem society.
2. “[Proctor] is a sinner, 2. Foreshadowing, 2. Miller’s use of
sinner not only against the Characterising essay and detailed
moral fashion of the time, Proctor, Form, use of stages directions
but against his own vision of essay – carefully demonstrates that he
decent conduct”. shapes the wants to use a very
audience’s rigid perspective on
perspectives of the his characters.
characters.
3. “I like not spoil their 3. First person 3. creates an
names… I speak my own narrative - Implies empowering lesson
sins” complete ownership for the audience
of his actions; he exposing an uplifting
accepts responsibility facet of human
of his role in society nature.
and the price
attached to it;
4. “I have given your soul; 4. Figurative 4. Miller fortifies
leave me my name!” assignment, previous argument;
empathetic tone - Miller reveals the
demands of his ironically preserving
“name” be kept is one’s integrity is the
used as a motif of key to spiritual
the play, irony freedom. Proctor’s
plea to “leave my
name”, and
persistence on the
notion oh his “name”
as symbol of his
reputation highlights
the importance of
remaining true to
one’s values.
5. “pressed to death” and 5. Ironic Giles Corey
“Christian under law” dies a good Christian
unlike the rest.
6. ‘Because it is my name! 6. Repetition of 6. Miller’s choice of
Because I cannot have ‘Because’ is for a Proctor dying rather
another in my life!’ dramatic impact. It than signing the
emphasises the confession is an
symbolic value of the assertation of his
virtue which Proctor individuality and his
places on his name. rejection of Salem
society’s false values
and is done mainly
based on pride in
7. Repetition and own name.
7. “…I love God; I go your stage directions – 7. Miller’s portrayal
way no more. I love God, I state the fact that of Mary is a true
bless God” [sobbing, she Mary’s fear has reflection of
rushes to Abigail] allowed her to lie for humanity’s refusal to
her own protection sacrifice themselves
and sacrifice justice as individuals in the
as a result. name of honestly like
how individual during
the McCarthy era
realised that they
might condemned as
Communists
regardless of their
innocence. As many
“cooperated”,
attempting to save
themselves through
false confessions,
creating the image
that the United
States was overrun
with Communists
and perpetuating the
hysteria.