Belt Auction

"The Crucible" How does Abigail convince the girls to submit to her bidding?

In Act 1,scenes 1 & 2 we are introduced to the theme of deception in order to save oneself from death or condemnation. How does Abigail convince the girls to submit to her bidding? How does her actions and language used created an atmosphere of fear in the beginning?

Public Comments

1. The girls follow Abigail out of the fear and respect she earns from them. When one of the girls suggests that they should tell what they had been doing in the woods, Abigail says she will come to that girl one night and "bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you." She is the only one of the girls who seems completely confident and fearless in what they are doing (ex: she drinks blood in the woods), and so they all follow her.