Crucible Essay Outline Template

Name: Colette                                             Humanities

7th Grade                                                                         Comparative Essay

Outline for Crucible/McCarthy Comparative Essay

Theme: Sexism

Paragraph #1: Introductory Paragraph (GIT)

Grabber Statement (G):

Imagine living as a female who gets oppressed, manipulated, mistreated, and tormented everyday. Women have experienced pain throughout history by men who dehumanize and treat them like chattel. Sexism has been a huge recurring theme during the Salem Witch Trials.

Introduction of Theme (I):

Men have always had more power in our sexist society throughout the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthy period, and even in the present day. Sexism has made a big impact at the Salem Witch Trials where men have falsely accused and scapegoated women for being witches and being seen with the Devil. While women have been discriminated against and lost power, men have been gaining more.

 

Thesis Statement (T):

Men use sexism and manipulation to oppress and control women not only in The Crucible, but during the McCarthy period, and today.

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Paragraph #2: Crucible Thematic Connection

Topic Sentence (T):

In the Crucible, women and young girls have experienced sexism and are accused of witchcraft because of their gender.

 

Explanatory Sentence (E):

Women and girls alike are hurt emotionally and physically by men in this book who treat them unallowinging. This passage from The Crucible shows how men mistreat women.

Evidence (E):

“Parris: Was it man or woman came with him?

Tituba: Man or woman. Was–was woman.

Parris: What woman? A woman, you said. What woman?…

Hale: Tituba. You must have no fear to tell us who they are, do you understand? We will protect you. The Devil can never overcome a minister. You know that, do you not?

Tituba-She kisses Hale´s hand: Aye, sir, oh, I do,” (pg 64).

Analysis (A):

In the quote above, Tituba, an African American slave from Barbados, falsely accuses a woman for being seen with the Devil after she is blamed for being a witch. Since Tituba doesn’t have power and is low status, Tituba makes a false accusation against another woman. Tituba is an easy target as is the woman that she blames because women are falsely accused for wrong doings. If she said she saw a man with the devil, the chance of the court officials believing her would be much lower. Tituba lives in a sexist society and she probably wouldn’t think of making a false accusation against a man. This is because in sexist societies like Salem, people of low status like women and slaves cannot win a debate against people who have more power and a higher status.

Concluding/ Transition (C):

Tituba and other women in The Crucible were treated terribly, which would continue for hundreds of years.

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Paragraph #3: McCarthy/Red Scare Thematic Connection

Topic Sentence (T):

Women living in the McCarthy period in the 1950’s were dehumanized and controlled by men.

Explanatory Sentence (E):

The baby boom had a strong significance for these women. Their lives have changed drastically after World War II. Women who were wives started to gain their role back and unmarried women got married.

Evidence (E):

“The suburban baby boom had a particularly confining effect on women. Advice books and magazine articles (‘Don’t Be Afraid to Marry Young,’ ‘Cooking To Me Is Poetry,’ ‘Femininity Begins At Home’) urged women to leave the workforce and embrace their roles as wives and mothers. The idea that a woman’s most important job was to bear and rear children was hardly a new one, but it took on a new significance in the postwar era,” (Baby Boomers, History.com)

Analysis (A):

During the McCarthy period, women were controlled by their husbands and it was expected of them that their main objective in life was to be a housewife and mother. After World War II, men were coming back from war to home. Since America has lost many lives throughout the war, young women were relied upon to grow the community, meaning making babies. In the quote above, one of the book titles or magazine articles says, “‘Don’t Be Afraid to Marry Young.’” Journalists were encouraging young women to have babies and get married. These advertisements spread, women were starting to do as they said, and the population in America grew rapidly. Like in the Crucible, women living in the McCarthy period were brainwashed by the idea that they had no place in working out of home. Men used women like tools and women didn’t have voices. Speaking out to your husband or a male in your life would not come to thought of a 1950’s woman.

Concluding/ Transition (C):

Not only were women living in the McCarthy period experiencing such sexism, but even women today have to face sexism.

 

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Paragraph #4: Modern Day Witch Hunt Thematic Connection

Topic Sentence (T):

Women in The Crucible, McCarthy period, and today are going through difficulties because of their gender. Women are the object of discrimination today in the Trump administration.  

Explanatory Sentence (E):

Even though sexism has died down throughout the years, it is still present in 2017.

Evidence (E):

“Trump frequently complains that Clinton yells too much. ‘That’s why I turned her off last night … I just couldn’t stand it. I got such a headache,’ he told a rally earlier this year. ‘But I won’t say it, because I’m not allowed to say it, right?’” (Sexism: Let’s Deconstruct Donald, New York Times)

Analysis (A):

Trump is complaining that a woman, Hillary Clinton, talks too loud, yells, and holds authority in her voice. This shows sexism because in this quote, a man is objecting that a woman can be loud. Even though Donald Trump yells, he is turning against Clinton because he thinks a woman should be delicate and quiet. Donald Trump was trying to gain votes by telling the community sexist comments about Clinton. One comment that Trump released to the public about Clinton says, “Hillary Clinton is weak and ineffective – no strength, no stamina.” Meaning it’s in-acceptable for a woman to rule America because of her supposedly weak strength and stamina.

Concluding/ Transition (C):

This shows that our society is still sexist. Although America has changed, there are still many sexist people and Trump is one of them.  

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Paragraph #5: Concluding Paragraph (ROC)

Reflection on Thesis (R):

Men have been discriminating, manipulating, oppressing, and making women feel like objects throughout history.

Overview of Main Points (O):

During the Salem Witch Trials, Tituba was oppressed by men because she felt pressured to say what men desired. Instead of being seen as an individual with value, thoughts, and feelings, Tituba is being dehumanized. Although women have been progressing throughout time, women in the McCarthy period were still experiencing having limited options and possibilities. Instead of having equal rights and any career choice open to them, women were living in a paralyzed state. Sexism still continues throughout the present moment, pervades politics, and doesn’t give women a chance to have a powerful voice.

Concluding Idea (C):

Fear has been controlling the way women thought during American history and sexism is just one component of fear. Sexism towards women causes anxiety, worry, fear, and hysteria. Even though women feel weak and hurt by sexist men, men haven’t entirely recognized their role in this issue.

 

While writing our Crucible essay, we have been using the TEEAC, GIT, and ROC outline templates. I think using these templates has helped me write more thorough and helps me write deeper ideas. Even though the Crucible essay was harder for me than the Giver essay, the templates helped me be more organized and thoughtful. The Crucible essay was difficult for me because we had to write about the Crucible, the McCarthy period, modern day, and connect the same theme throughout these eras. My theme was sexism. I think the GIT is important for essays because it grabs the readers in and gives a quick overview about what is going to happen later in the essay. The TEEAC format is also very helpful because I am very familiar with it and it helps me get my ideas out. I think concluding paragraphs are crucial for essays and so we need the ROC template.