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Matthew Snodgrass

Mrs. Somerville

English 111

May 23, 2008

Puritan Theocracy

The Salem Witch Hunt is a very dark chapter of the American History indeed. It cannot

seem to be put out of one’s mind the question of how. It seems now to us such an idiotic thing

but, was it at the time? With the strict rules of a “perfect” society of Theocracy, it does not seem

like such a far out thing. Combined with built up guilt, teenage boredom, and individual freedom

the chapter unfolds.

Within the Puritan Theocracy, guilt was an everyday thing. The citizens of Salem would

have to live their lives in a silence. This silence consisted of their guilt and sins contained in an

ever going growth of time. This, over such a time, would leave any person listless and wanting of

a way out to relief. Sadly enough, there was no way out. That is, until the Witch Trials started to

begin in Salem. Within these trials people had a chance to let out their sins in a style of

accusation. This would allow anyone to free themselves of guilt and purify their name while

defiling their enemy’s in the process. Horrifically, this would give anyone a lowery power. The

power to accuse those around them for their personal gains while reducing their guilt, all at the

same time.

Along with the guilt of many adults came teenage boredom. At the time the Witch Hunt

began, technology was not even close to what we have today. You would not think it to be that

bad since there are many things to do then the old television, but sadly within such a society

there was not. In a Puritan Theocracy it is known that things of self pleasure are not welcomed
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since the time used on such things could be used to serve God. This meant there was to be no

things such as dancing or singing. Along with strict rules on how teenagers had to act, the

boredom and frustration would rise to a whole new level. It seemed that there was nothing they

could do to escape such a destiny, until the mass hysteria began. With all the excitement rising on

the topic of hangings and witch accusations, teenagers found a demented way of having fun.

With playing along with the false claims and seeing hangings of enemies, all of the sudden

teenagers had endless things to do.

Along with boredom of everyone (not just teenagers) came individual freedom. Within

the Puritan Theocracy you did not have a lot of freedom. There were specific rules set into place

that everyone had to follow. An example of such rules was that of Sabbath and Church service.

You had no real choice to do these things, you just simply had to do them or you would be

rejected from the society. With the yearning to gain freedom the witch trials seemed perfect. The

trials through the theocracy into a spiral of constant loss and gave freedom to those not accused.

For once people could escape the regular rules of society, and watch the mass hysteria unfold

before their eyes.

With the macabre chapter of Salem coming to a close you can see why it was ever

created. Within the guilt of every citizen came a dark path just waiting to be uncovered and

followed. With every day passing without events, came a teenager’s wait to rise. With every rule

enforced came a yearning for freedom. You can see why such, to us now, an idiotic thing could

ever happen. We could never know how the guilt would rise within us every day. How we would

have to live with ourselves day in and day out with a sense of disappointment, knowing we could

never release it. There is not a normal time in our lives in our day of age in which we would feel

so bored, just waiting for someone new to come. Most importantly, as free Canadians, we will
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never feel the strict rules enforced by a Theocracy wanting us to search for freedom. It is these

things combined that show us the words of the chapter, and how the Puritan Theocracy was just

waiting for such mass hysteria.