Final answer:
Ezekiel Cheever is mentioned in Act II of 'The Crucible' at the beginning as one conducting searches for witchcraft and appears later with a warrant for Elizabeth's arrest based on evidence linked to a poppet found in the Proctor's home.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question refers to the character Ezekiel Cheever and his role in Act II of 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller, which is a play about the Salem witch trials. Cheever's name is mentioned in two separate places in Act II. Initially, Ezekiel Cheever is mentioned at the beginning of the act as part of a conversation between Elizabeth and John Proctor.
Elizabeth informs John that Cheever is going house to house, searching for signs of witchcraft, which highlights the growing hysteria in Salem. Towards the end of the act, Cheever himself appears at the Proctor household with a warrant to arrest Elizabeth, indicating the escalation of the witch hunt and the increasing power of the court officials.
When Cheever arrives, he finds a poppet with a needle stuck in it, which was provided by Mary Warren earlier in the act. This poppet is used as evidence against Elizabeth, linking her to witchcraft because the same night, Abigail Williams fell to the floor in pain with a similar needle stuck in her stomach. This turn of events showcases the arbitrary and unjust nature of the trials, and Cheever's role as a court clerk makes him a crucial figure in the enforcement of the court's authority despite his personal conflicts with the severity of the accusations.