Why did Miller Change events in The Crucible
             The Crucible is a book written by Arthur Miller in the 1950's and is about the Salem Witch Trials. Although there were many differences between The Crucible and the actual witch trials Miller had good reason for making the changes for the book.
             Some of the things Miller changed to get the reader to side with the people on trial. Abigail Williams' and John Proctor's ages were changed. "...Abigail Williams' age to 17 even though the real girl was only 11, but he never mentioned that John Proctor was 60..."( Burns 2) He changed the ages so people would not think Proctor was so bad even though he did have an affair. Elizabeth was 41 and was not John's first wife. "...Elizabeth, 41, was his third wife."( 2) "Living with them was their daughter aged 15, their son who was 17, and John's 33-year-old son from his first marriage."( 2) These facts were left out to let the reader think John Proctor was a generally good person who had made a mistake. He again did not want Proctor to look bad because he was looked at as the good guy, or underdog, of the book.
             Miller changed some things so it looked more absurd and incredible that these people were being convicted of witchcraft. He wanted the book to show that the whole town had gone crazy. There was not a wild dance in the woods like the book portrays. "There never was any wild dancing rite in the woods led by Tituba..."( 2) He put this into the book to make it look like the people who caused the trials and made the accusations were the ones practicing witchcraft. Tituba was not from Barbados and Miller probably made her from there so it would seem more likely that she practices voodoo. "she was Amerindian, probably Suoth American Arawak" (1). The first girls to be afflicted by witchcraft were not Ruth Putnam and Betty Parris. "The first two...