“The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burdens, easing others load, and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.” My favorite setting would have to be that of Christmas. I think it is really ‘the most wonderful time of the year.’ The current setting in The Crucible is vastly different. It is a time of trial and heartache for people. Few would say that the characters are brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burdens, easing others' loads, and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts.

Christmas is a time of happiness and joy. That time of year we work extra hard to ensure others are enjoying the holidays. We make that extra effort to reach out and brighten other lives. The year 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts is quite the opposite. The characters in The Crucible are judgmental, dissatisfied, revengeful, greedy, selfish, fearful, and condemning. Most are only working hard to ensure that their life is not in danger, and don’t care about anyone else. Time and energy is focused on the self, not others. The majority of people in the play are a far cry from brightening other lives.

During Christmastime friends, family, and neighbors are quick to bear each other’s burdens and ease others loads. Christmas is a time for peace, love, charity, caring, sharing, and coming together to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Abigail, Cheever, Mary, Parris, and Putnam are some of the characters from The Crucible who are giving others burdens, adding to others loads. Seemingly innocent people are being accused of wrong doings, tried, and sent to jail; leaving their loved ones in great worry. Characters like Proctor now have problem on top of problem consuming them. Loads seem to get heavier with each turn of the page. If people will start bearing each other’s burdens, the hard and hurtful emotions in the play will make a change for the better.

The holidays are also a time of supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts. Driveways and sidewalks are mysteriously shoveled, anonymous presents are left on doorsteps, Secret Santa’s and other service projects are in full swing, warm food and goodies are given, blankets, hats, and scarves are made to be sent out to those in need. That is one of the reasons Christmas is filled with a wonderful spirit. But it could not be said that the characters in The Crucible are in a season of giving as of now. There may not be as much to give at this point in history, but that also means there is little to take. If people would not greedily, and often sneakily, take from others, there would not be such a state of turmoil and distress in the play.

There are not many similarities between Christmas and The Crucible, but religion is present in both settings. Christmas, for most, is a celebration of Christ’s birth. While in the play, controversy with the devil brings a longing for Christ. If the play and Christmas had any more similarities, the play would be drastically different.

My favorite setting and The Crucible setting do not have much in common. People brightening other lives, bearing burdens, easing loads, and supplanting empty hearts and lives with gifts is always present at Christmastime. These actions have not been prominent in The Crucible, which makes it the story it is. But I think that a great cure for the tension in the play would be to implant a spirit of joy and of giving, the things that make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year.