Act 1, Scene 4
Parris enters because he hears Betty scream. He hopes that she is alive and well. Mrs. Putnam, Thomas, and Mercy all enter. They all watch Parris as he tries to get Betty to talk. Soon, Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey enter. Parris asks Rebecca to help Betty. She is a woman of seventy-two, and very gentle. Her husband, Francis Nurse is a widely respected man in the community. He is a wealthy landowner and looked upon to settle disputes. Rebecca walks over to Betty and stands over her. Betty quiets down. Everyone in the room wants to know what Rebecca did. They all start to get hysterical and want to know whether or not the Devil is falling on the town. Mrs. Putnam says: "'There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires!'" Act 1, Scene 4, pg. 26
Topic Tracking: Chaos 1
They all start arguing. Proctor gets angry with Parris over the content of his sermons. Proctor thinks they are too riddled with talk of hell: "'I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart, Mr. Parris. There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more.'" Act 1, Scene 4, pg. 27
Topic Tracking: Chaos 2
Topic Tracking: Involvement 2
Parris gets defensive and makes a comment about how some people are not following their obligations to the church. He continues to defend himself and the church. He says that if people do not obey the church, then they will burn just like Hell burns.
Topic Tracking: Authority 1
Topic Tracking: Chaos 3
Topic Tracking: Authority 2
Putnam says that there is a party in the church against authority and Proctor says that he wants to find it and join it. He also says that he does not like the "smell of this authority." Proctor and Putnam get into a minor argument about the wood John is carrying. Giles sides with Proctor and the two of them leave.
Topic Tracking: Involvement 3
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