Symbols can help a writer convey ideas, develop characters,

establish atmosphere etc. To what effect were symbols employed in

at least two of the works you have studied?
The Crucible by Arthur miller is an allegory using the Salem witch trials of
1692 to directly criticise 1950s McCarthyism and the HUAC. As a microcosm
of 1950s America, Miller uses symbols such as John Proctor, light, witch trials,
the crucible as well as the themes of individuality, power, hysteria and
witchcraft to show the injustice of Puritan society as a direct parallel to 1950s
Capitalist society. Similarly, A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen uses characters
as symbols for themes or ideas such as realism and existentialism to criticise
19th century Norwegian society, which is heavily influenced by Victorian
Englands model of an ideal middle class family.
Firstly, the title The Crucible is a symbol in itself. A crucible is a small
container where things are purified after heating and/or stirring. This symbol
could be interpreted in a few different ways. The crucible could be used to
signify the tension and hysteria in society as it heats up, as shown with the
verb phrase cows wander on the streets. The theme of mass hysteria
created by the witch trials has caused complete chaos in society as everyone
is tense and hopes they will not be the next one to be accused. The crucible
could also be seen as purification of Puritan society which is ironic due to the
seemingly perfectly regulated and supposedly virtuous nature of society.
Miller criticises society through the lack of individuality, which is further

shown through John Proctor. The crucible is a subtle yet affective symbol in
showing puritan societys downfall as well as hysteria during the witchcraft
trials.
The witch trials are symbolic of the trials held by the HUAC (House of UnAmerican Activities Committee). Miller uses this to show the unfairness of the
trials due to the mass hysteria creased. Miller himself was accused and
refused to name names when asked to; however one of his colleagues did,
which ended their cooperation as well as motivating Miller to write The
Crucible. The leading question How do you know, then, that you are not a
witch? used by Danforth to question Martha Corey shows the ludicrous
nature of the trials as the questions are biased towards convicting the
accused as well as illogical. Miller does this to show the unjust nature of the
court associated with the HUAC as well as ridiculing their line of questioning,
and indirectly, the people in power who allows these questionings to happen.
Furthermore, the fact that Rebecca Nurse, the paragon of virtue, is also
accused by the court is a direct criticism by Miller of the blind court who
convicts anyone they can. Miller uses Nurse as a symbol of the good and
innocent who were wrongly convicted due to the hysterical and illogical
society at the time. Miller uses these symbols effectively to criticise 1950s
McCarthy Society.
However, the starter of all the accusations for the trials in The Crucible,
Abigail, can be seen as the hero of the play from a deconstructionist

perspective. The parallelism of I want the light of God, I want the sweet love
of Jesus! when Abigail starts the accusations by seemingly freeing herself
from Satan shows her manipulative nature as well as intelligence. The
hysteria created from the accusations reveals the true nature of society and
many of its members, such as Thomas Putnam. The exclamatory phrase by
Giles Corey when attempting to expose the court Thomas Putnam is
reaching out for land!, shows the greed in society, despite it being one of
the severe sins in a supposedly strict Puritan society. The noun phrase I
cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime
shows how Danforth only cares for his reputation rather than actual justice.
Therefore, Miller may have been using Abigail as a symbol for the hero as
she reveals all the corruption and greed in society which can be remedied in
the future.
Similarly, in A Dolls House, Nora can be seen as the hero of the play from a
feminist perspective as she represents an individual woman seeking for her
rights as an inspiration to other women. Ibsen initially presents Nora as a
weak and powerless character, in accordance with the stock character of
women in 1950s Norwegian society as the caretaker of the household, a
subservient wife and a loving mother. The vocatives used by Torvald, her
husband, to address Nora include my squirrel, little spendthrift and little
lark which may seem endearing, but is actually demeaning as he seems to
think of Nora as a possession by objectifying her into a creature. However,
Nora also seems to be in power as she understands how to manipulate her

husband. When attempting to ask Torvald to give Mrs. Linde a position in the
bank, Nora uses the premodification frightfully anxious to work under some
clever man, so as to perfect herself, to show how Nora understands how to
flatter her husband for her own needs. However, ibsen also uses interrupted
constructions to show how Torvald is in power on the surface as he falls
more. From a psycho analytical perspective, this could show Noras id where
she has a desire to be an individual and be in power, but she does not realise
it yet. As Ibsen like to play on stock characters, he also changes Nora to be
the one in power. Nora uses the imperative sit to command Torvald,
suggesting the reverse in roles and a change in character in which Nora is no
longer the inferior party in this relationship, instead she has the same social
status as Torvald.