The political events that shaped the play are related to the role Senator Joseph Mc Carthy played in the U.S Congress during the Cold War with the Soviet Union - after World War II-. Mc Carthy was totally against communists. He wanted to root out any potential communism sympathizer. His policies caused a wave of paranoia in the US.
Religious is reflected in the setting. The play was set in Puritan New England in 1692. This religious fact was used by Miller to make a comparison between what the Puritans did to a group of colonists accused of witchcraft and what Mc Carthy did to potential communists. In the play, the Massachusetts government and the Judicial System got influenced by Puritanism. As a consequence, the colonists that had been accused of witchcraft were sent to prison. McCarthy 's policies could have the same effect on communist sympathizers.
Social events were related to artistic events. McCarthy's search for potential communists affected the government and the entertainment industry. Besides, there was an organization , the House of Un -American Activities Committee, that investigated connections between artists , people from the popular media; famous writers and communists. Miller was shocked by these activities.
The setting influences the plot, which also involves the story's events. Certain main actions are more likely to take place in certain environments. Also, the story's tone and theme depend on its setting. Also the setting shapes the characters to see what there going to do and how .
Douglass didn't grieve more when he learned that his mother had died because he had spent very little time with his mother. He didn't manage to bond with her, and that is why her death did not strike him as sad as it would if they had been closer.
