Reality Vs. Illusion

Reality vs. Illusion

If an illusion masks reality, lies and injustice will pervade. Reality is the basis of how life is lived, but when illusion tarnishes the normal, people are provoked into thinking as a group, and loose their individuality. People in general are intelligent, but once people submit to a group consciousness, they turn into panic-driven animals. This theory is proven in Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible by characters Abigail Williams, Reverend Hale, and Judge Danforth.

As soon as Abby knows she will get in trouble for witchcraft, she lies and deceives the town into believing she is a messenger of God. Whether or not she started to believe herself we do not know, but it is evident that she is lying while saying " I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin' out! I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil's people-and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a-." As she deceived, she had other girls join in with her. She threatens and scares the girls telling them, "Let either of you breathe a word or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder you... and I can make you wish the sun never went down!" None of the girls actually see spirits, but, masked in an illusion, the girls start to panic. Things in the town get out of control because of a few girls' delusions. The problem is that the girls lead by Abby, are thinking as a group. Partly, they are scared by Abby, but if they reason in their own minds, as Reverend Hale later did, they would realize that they are wrong in doing this.

Reverend Hale is under a different kind of illusion; the illusions that spirits are actually lose in Salem. This illusion, caused by the girls' testimony, forces him to believe lies without thinking. " I have seen too many frightful proofs in court-the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to fall wherever the accusing finger points." When illusions are forced into our minds, one of two things can happen.