“Crucible” can mean a test or a container used to heat up
chemicals to high temperatures in order to reach a melting point or create a chemical
reaction.
In terms of a test, this was a test of the moral
judgment of the town as a whole. They failed this test with flying colors. There is also
a secondary satirical meaning on test. The trials themselves test the guilt or innocence
of the accused. These tests are biased and flawed because they are controlled by
religious fundamentalism and conformity.
As the hysteria
increases, the accusations accumulate and Salem reaches a melting point where their
identity changes. They define themselves by witch hunting more than religious belief.
The parallel is between heating chemicals to a crucial degree and the rising hysteria of
the mob mentality reaching a point of no return.
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