The 1950's were right at the end of the great depression which was only prevented because of the World War that this nation was pulled into. Therefore many individuals found it difficult to live in that hard time period. Just as the United States citizens began to return to normal from this chaos, they soon found that another problem was awaiting them just around the bend. Because of these looming problems that troubled Americans' the 1950's became a very hard time indeed. The problems that loomed over head were the "witch hunt" or "commie hunt" involved with McCarthyism and an extremely conformist attitude made it difficult to live an easy life no matter who that person was and what that person's job was in the 1950's. The two most notable plays of this era were The Crucible and A Raisin in the Sun written by Arthur Miller and Lorraine Hansberry, who were both affected by the tragedies of the '50's. These two plays were social commentaries based on Miller and Hansberry's experiences in the time period which were mostly caused by greed, human desire for acceptance, and fear and hysteria.
             Corruption and greed of political figures such as senator Joseph R. McCarthy were a reason for the problems of the 1950's. McCarthy was a Wisconsin politician who had achieved his status in the U.S. government by smear campaigns and underhanded tricks. This was a loose cannon of a man who would not be in order with the rest of the Senate and got in the way with a lot of useless jargon. The only thing he could do to save his job was to announce that he found Communists in the American government, which terrified the nation. With this terror McCarthy road his way back into fame and luxury. The play The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller who was accused to be a believer in Communism, he therefore wrote a satire about the fifties. The "witch hunt" of 1692 in this p...