Answer:
1. The Salem settlement needed a theocracy during its nascent years because it provided a sense of unity and cohesiveness that was vital for the initial survival of the settlement. The theocratic government promoted the principles of taking care of one's neighbor, and the community looked out for one another.
The settlers began to turn towards individualism because they were seeking freedom. But because they had been other a theocracy for so long, anyone who tried to break the rules were considered as a lawbreaker.
2. Miller characterizes Parris as someone who is selfish and worries too much about his reputation. Parris is always anxious and worries about everything.
Parris is highly suspicious. Sees them as his enemies and is afraid they are out to ruin him. He is unhappy with his parishioners because they are not supporting him with necessary supplies for livelihood.
3. Putnam is willing to speak of witchcraft because he wants their land. Mrs. Putnam knows about Ruth in the woods because she sent Ruth to contact her dead babies' spirits.
How does Mrs. Putnam know what Ruth was doing in the woods? Mrs. Putnam knows what Ruth was doing because she asked Ruth to go to Tituba to raise her children from the dead.
4. Abigail admits tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits so that she will appear as an innocent victim. She is afraid that the others will confess to ruin her reputation and she'll be exposed as a liar.
Why is Abigail afraid the others will confess what they were doing in the woods? She is afraid because she knows that they will incriminate her.
Abigail uses her authority to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. She threatens the other girls with violence if they refuse to go along with her plans, and she does not hesitate to accuse them of witchcraft if their loyalty proves untrue. Such is the case with Mary Warren.
Abigail treath her uncle with respect. Why has Abigail been asked to leave the Proctor's home? Abigail was asked to leave the Proctor's home because Elizabeth suspects that Abigail and Proctor have had an affair.
5. Halfway through the first act, Arthur Miller gives us a brief scene of John Proctor and Abigail together, revealing they have had a sexual affair. Abigail is still in love with John, and wants to believe that he is still in love with her (even after he says he is not).
Abigail still loves John and she not only is antagonistic toward Elizabeth because Elizabeth asked Abigail to leave the Proctor house, she is jealous of Elizabeth. Abigail sees Elizabeth as an impediment to her own happiness and she thinks if Elizabeth is out of the way, she can have John.
Abigail was once the servant for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after she discovered that Abigail was having an affair with her husband, John Proctor.
Why does Abigail tell John Proctor what happened to Betty? Abigail trusts John and thinks its safe to tell him what happened to Betty i not witchcraft but instead just fear.
6. Proctor and Rebecca speak out against Hale's coming because they do not think the incidence is serious enough to warrant an outsider coming to help with their community's affairs. b) Proctor has set himself against Parris because he dislikes Reverend Parris' focus on Satan and Hell instead of God and Heaven.
Proctor has set himself against Parris because he dislikes Reverend Parris' focus on Satan and Hell instead of God and Heaven.
Those waiting at the bedside become much more antagonistic and volatile when Rebecca leaves. Why does Abigail accuse Tituba? a) Abigail accuses Tituba because she feels others will think witchcraft is something Tituba would likely be involved in.
7. Abigail seems to believe in Tituba's powers to the extent that she gets Tituba to make a potion to kill Goody Proctor (presumably so Abigail can marry John). When it starts to seem like this information might come out, however, Abigail preemptively accuses Tituba of bewitching her and Betty in order to save herself.
Why does Hale believe Abigail rather than Tituba? Hale believes Abigail more than Tituba, because Tituba is a slave and does not have the full trust of those that live in the community.
Hale leads Tituba into naming names by putting words in her mouth and kind of giving her a way out. Abigail and Betty name names to completely get the blame off of them and to focus it on the others.
In Act I, Abigail and Betty start shouting the names of supposed witches in order to distract attention from their own misbehavior. They know that the penalty for dancing in the forest is whipping.