Character Identification

Laura Hernadez

1. J. Ann Putnam - Sent her daughter to conjure spirits after losing seven children in
childbirth.

2. H. Abigail - Orphaned niece of Parris. Had an affair with Proctor and was dismissed from
the household.

3. L. Tituba - Negro slave from Barbados who claims the devil told her to kill Parris.

4. A. Parris - Reverend of Salem and former businessman in Barbados. He feels his salary is
too low.

5. E. Thomas Putnam - Sues his neighbors over trivial matters and wonders why his wife
reads "strange" books.

6. B. Hale - Expert from Beverly on witchcraft.

7. G. Betty - Daughter of Reverend Parris.

8. I. Rebecca Nurse - Her presence has a calming effect on Betty.

9. C. Mary Warren - Current servant for the Proctors.

10. H. Abigail - Parris saw this girl naked in the woods.

11. F. Ruth - Daughter of the Putnams.

12. D. Giles Corey - His grandfather had a habit of willing away land that didn't belong to
him, according to Proctor.
Act1 Questions
1) Why is Reverend Parris praying at the beginning of Act One? Might he have more than
one reason?

He is praying for his daughter, Betty to wake up/get better. He might have another
reason, which is for his reputation.

(2) What did Reverend Parris do before coming to Salem?

He was a merchant in Barbados

(3) Who is Tituba?

Parris' slave (from Barbados)

(4) What is the relationship between Abigail and Reverend Parris? Why does she live
with him?

Abigail is an orphan and Reverend Parris's niece

(5) What rumors are circulating in the village?

That people are involved in witchcraft, Betty has fallen ill after the girls were found by
Reverend Parris dancing in the woods.

(6) Describe what Reverend Parris encountered in the woods. Why would this be an
especially upsetting sight for a Puritan minister?

Parris found the girls dancing and believed they were conjouring up souls. He also saw a
dress and thought that he saw someone running naked

(7) What happened to Abigail seven months before Act One?

She had an affair with John Proctor and was therefore fired by Elizabeth

(8) What reason does Abigail give for being dismissed from the Proctor residence?

She didn't want to work like a slave and she claims Elizabeth Proctor hated her. She also
doesn't want her face blackened

(9) What similarity exists between Ruth Putnam and Betty Parris? What difference do
the Putnams notice?

Both girls have fallen ill and everyone has connected it to being witchcraft. The Putnams
notice that Betty was seen flying

(10) What tragedy occurred in Mrs. Putnam's life?

(11) Why did Mrs. Putnam contact Tituba?

In order to have her conjure spirits so Mrs. Putnam could connect with the spirits of her
children

(12) In what way does Abigail's behavior change when she is alone with the girls? What
does this reveal about her character?

Abigail threatens to kill them if they tell anyone the real story (dancing and Abigail
drinking blood, Mercy Lewis naked), rather than the story they made up.
This shows that Abigail lies to her benefit

(13) In what way does Abigail's behavior change when she is alone with Proctor? What
do we learn about Abigail and Proctor in this scene?

She wants power and it seems she has lust for him. She blames him for her loss of
innocence.
We learn that they had an affair

(14) Who is Rebecca Nurse? What effect does her presence have on Betty?

She is Francis Nurse's wife and is accused of witchcraft.

(15) How does Mrs. Putnam feel about Rebecca? Why?

Mrs. Putnam feels that Rebecca is responsible for the deaths of her babies and that the
deaths occurred by supernatural means

(16) Who is Giles Corey? How does John Proctor seem to feel about Giles?

He is an older farmer. John Proctor seems to have a love/hate relationship with Giles.
Proctor jokes around with Giles a lot and has accused Giles of burning the roof off his
house, but it seems like they're on friendly terms

(17) Proctor is not a fan of Parris' preaching. What reasons does he give for his dislike?

He says he hate when he hears Parris preach "only hellfire and bloody damnation," and
hardly even mentions God anymore. He also does not like how he talks about "deeds
and mortgages," basically finances. He accuses him of using for personal gain (firewood)

(18) Explain the argument regarding Reverend Parris' salary. What does this reveal about
Reverend Parris?
It is about who is responsible for Reverend Parris's firewood. Parris says that his contract
includes firewood, and even goes a little of subject with saying he isn't some preaching
farmer with a book under his arm, but he is a graduate of Harvard College. This shows
that Parris is smart in his education.

(19) Explain the land dispute between Putnam and Proctor. What does Proctor tell us
about Putnam?

Proctor harvest lumber from the tract that Putnam claimed his grandfather left him.
Proctor says that he bought it from Francis Nurse five months ago

(20) Who is Reverend Hale? For what reason is he called to Salem?

Reverend Hale is a nearly forty year old man who is an intellectual. He is called to figure
out whether witchcraft is occurring in Salem, since he is known of being an expert of
witchcraft

(21) What question does Giles Corey have for Reverend Hale?

Giles asks what it means to read strange books. He asks this because he says he finds his
wife reading books

(22) Why does Abigail blame Tituba for the incident in the woods? What effect does this
accusation have on Reverend Hale's questioning of Abigail?

Abigail blames Tituba for the incident in the woods so that everyone would blame on
Tituba and not her. Hale then shifts to asking Tituba about the incident and telling her to
open herself up to god