Inclusion or Exclusion in The Crucible Essay -- Essay on The Crucible

Much of The Crucible by Arthur Miller was about being expound of a group. What is it to belong to a group? Is it really that simple when someone says, "Either youre with us or youre not"? Yes, it is that simple. Belonging and exclusion in either situation are two sides of the corresponding coin - you cant have one without the other. In any organization or group, people are bound unneurotic by a community of interest, purpose or function and if you do not believe in these same things, then you are not a part of that group. In an organization or group, you have to ask your egotism, "What is it to be a part of this particular group, what does it take to belong?" It takes following the rules of the group, agreeing with their purpose, obeying their authorities and the big businessman to go the length for their cause. In The Crucible, if the characters did not abide as part of the group, the Christian Church, then the consequences were fatal. The Crucible told of what is was to be a scapegoat in their golf-club and what it took to defend themselves from becoming that scapegoat.      To remind people in an organization why they belong takes continued focus on a common goal or common belief. By having one main function, a group is generally more effective than if everyone has different ideas and outlooks on specific topics. However, to keep everyone on the same page, the members of a group need to accurately know where they stand in reference to their goal. One carriage to do this is through social facilitation. This is the concern of self image through the presence of other people. Its a concept that allows members to know the acceptable opinions of the group. Someone who agrees to the ideas set out from the organization. "Group polarization is the concept of changing personal opinions to extremities after a group discussion.(Johnson 13)" This concept eliminates members who arent sure what they think of the groups p urpose. They decide that either they agree completely or they disagree completely. Either way it means they decide if they are in or out after the group discussion. A common goal is one way to distinguish and shed light on the devoted members from the questionable individuals in a group.      High cohesiveness is an effective tool in the success and effectiveness of an organization. However, in order for ... ... truth, denying her involvement as a witch, but be hung anyway for "lying" under oath. On the other hand, an innocent victim could lie and confess her involvement as a witch, accuse another witch instead and be let "off the hook". However, if the innocent victim lied and confess, but wasnt willing to turn in another witch, she would be hung anyway. (Starkey, 17) This created quite an ironic situation coming from a Christian based community of purity and holiness.      Exclusion is about scapegoating and denying the tru th or reality to oneself. A scapegoat is a person made to bear the blame for others, an escape from dealing with ones responsibility. The scapegoat lets one rationalize bad situations and unsighted oneself from the reality of that situation. No one saw the reality in Salem and no one even tried. They were all too caught up in exhausting to find someone else to blame for their fears and problems. However, organizations tend to do that too. They create an opposition or enemy so they can use it later to their own advantage, make themselves seem more powerful. So the question goes back to, "Are you in? Or are you out?"