Final answer:
Arthur Miller used casual phrases in 'The Crucible' to draw parallels to the Red Scare and make the dialogue relatable, thereby humanizing the characters and enhancing the play's allegorical meaning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of casual phrases by Arthur Miller in The Crucible can be seen as a way to draw parallels between the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare of the 1950s. Through his drama, Miller aimed to make the audience consider the tactics of misdirection and guilt by association that were prevalent during McCarthyism. The casual language helps to humanize the characters and makes the dialogue more relatable to the audience, thereby enhancing the allegorical connections between the historical events of the play and the contemporary issues of Miller's time.
Miller's use of casual phrases helped to depict the characters as real people caught in a terrifying situation, which echoes the fear and confusion experienced by those targeted during the Red Scare. Like the characters in the play, people accused by McCarthy had little means to prove their innocence and were often condemned by mere association, reflecting a similar injustice.
The indirect critiques found in Miller's and journalist Edward Murrow's work allowed them to avoid some of the harsher consequences faced by direct challengers of the anti-Communist hysteria. Miller's choice to echo the speech patterns of the time serves as a subtle yet powerful tool to convey his criticism.