I would think that the opening scene, and the stage
instructions that accompany it, would give much in way of detail as to why Miller
believes that Salem, itself, is to blame for its own witch hunt. The attitudes of Paris
about children are similar:
... [Salem and Paris] never conceived that the
children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly
lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to
speak.
Such strong repression
of youth is a factor in the girls' action. Miller makes the argument in the opening
section that the girls' desire to dance and be youthful would be seen as sinful by the
parents and the community members. In avoidance of this, the girls lie and this becomes
the basis for the witchhunt. The need for repression of youth is reflective of Paris,
himself described by Miller in this first act as possessing "a driving need to be in
control." This helps to explain the witch hunt as an event that sought to consolidate
control of those in the position of power. The last point that helps to explain why
Miller feels that Salem, itself, is to blame for the witch hunt would arise from the
“predilection for minding other people’s business.” This intrusive element of Salem
society made it easy for people to become suspicious of people for the smallest of
things and also made it easier for individuals to eviscerate realms of privacy in order
to make everything public. In this light, Salem becomes victim to its own hypocrisy and
its own poor decision making, making it ripe for something like the witch hunt to
happen. However, Miller does not miss the opportunity to make it clear that these
realities are applicable to all social orders, and their presence has to be understood.
While there were conditions in Salem that allowed the witch hunt to take hold quickly,
Miller forces the reader to assess the same situation in the modern setting, as
well.
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