Question about a monologue from The Crucible?

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 7:51pm

Hi. In The Crucible, there is a monologue done by Mary Warren. It begins " I never knew it before, I never knew anything before......" and so on. She is talking about Sarah Good. I was wondering if anyone knew, when she does this monologue, is she under a spell? Is she lying, or is she telling the truth? Thanks so much!

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 7:55pm

Well...I mean...I suppose it's debateable. But as I see it she is lying to protect herself.

Akiva

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 7:57pm

Okay. Because everytime I read it, I am never really sure. So, is it really up to the reader to decide?

[DG]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 8:00pm

I agree, Akiva.

Because they're ALL lying.

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 1:43am

I think it's definitely debateable. IMO, at least some of the girls get so caught up in this act that they convince themselves they're telling the truth. So that's another angle to approach it from.

[DG]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 1:57am

". . .get so caught up in this act that they convince themselves they're telling the truth"

That's definitely a viability. I just got the impression that the original question included the possibility of actual possesion, and that notion I reject entirely.