Salem residents inflicted with hysteria caused by religion, repressed mental conflict and the inability to adapt causes them to inflict dreadful atrocities against themselves and their community.
Residents of Salem practiced a religion known as Puritanism. This religion gives the implications of a strict societal order that welcomes the repression of emotions. Residents were expected to keep their passions to themselves and were not allowed to let their infatuations get the best of them. Little did they know that their repressed passion would lead to their downfall in the manifestation of mass hysteria. Repression of emotions caused mental instability and consequently provided a medium of mass hysteria. Puritan religion also provided for a strict fear of the devil and his evil essence. Residents automatically accused anything that they did not understand as a manifestation of the devil. Consequently, when the town's girls were dancing in the woods they automatically blamed it on the devil.
ABIGAIL SPEARS
ABIGAIL SPEARS
Map of West Peabody, MA, indicating the 20th centu...This shows that all of the residents possess this fear of the devil whereby creating a mass relationship for hysteria to spread. The Puritan religion seeks to create a perfect utopia of society by inflicting strict rules and proclamations upon their followers. This caused residents to feel socially unsure about themselves. With such strict rules in place one would never know if they were violating a law or rule. Unsure feelings created by laws provided the perfect spark to light the fire of mass hysteria. Now that the fire was started, kindling must be added to keep the fire of hysteria burning. This kindling was Salem's inability to adapt to changes.
The community in Salem possesses an inability to adapt to changes within their environment. Residents actually fear change or any challenges to their beliefs. This means that if anything threatens them they will automatically...