Study guide for survival and hysteria in "The Crucible".

Survival and Hysteria in "The Crucible": Hysteria tears apart the community. Hysteria replaces common sense and allows the people to believe that their neighbors, whom they have always considered respectable people, are committing illogical and unbelievable crimes-- communicating with the devil, killing babies, and more. In "The Crucible", the townsfolk accept and become active in the hysterical atmosphere not only out of true religious devoutness (God doesn't allow interacting with the devil) but also because …

…like Hell is burning!" Act I (page 30) Parris to Proctor. Parris desires to secure his position as the minister. He is the third minister of Salem in seven years and does not want the community to have the ability to put him out. Conclusion: The once pure, simple, and quiet village of Salem, Massachusetts was now only about personal rivalries greediness, rather than the loving and caring of family and friends in the small community.