Disrepair and Despair
- Why has Rev. Hale returned to Salem?
That autumn, Danforth and Hathorne visit Rev. Parris to find out why Rev. Hale has returned to Salem after condemning and quitting the court during the trials, fearing trouble. Rev. Parris, gaunt and sickly, reassures them that Rev. Hale has only returned to convince the prisoners who have refused to confess to do so and save their lives.
- What has happened to Abigail since the trials?
Rev. Parris reveals to Danforth and Hathorne that Abigail and Mercy Lewis robbed him and then vanished into the night.
- What does Rev. Hale want Danforth and Hathorne to do? Why do they refuse?
Rev. Hale, himself haggard and pained, begs Danforth and Hathorne to pardon the seven remaining prisoners since they refuse to confess. However, Danforth says that if they do so, not only will they appear to have wrongly jailed people but also wrongly hanged the 12 already executed.
- In response to their refusal to free the remaining prisoners, of what does Rev. Hale warn Danforth and Hathorne?
Rev. Hale warns the men that their refusal is inviting rebellion and unrest in Salem. Because so many people have been either summoned to court, jailed, or hanged, Salem has fallen into a sorry state. Cattle run loose, farms go unattended and crops rot, and children wander about without any adult supervision. Salem is literally falling apart.
- What has happened in nearby Andover?
Rev. Hale tells everyone that faced with similar circumstances, the people of nearby Andover rebelled against the town officials and overthrew them.
- What does Rev. Hale mean when he says ''There is blood on my head''?
Rev. Hale feels guilty about condemning people he hardly knew and signing their death warrants during the trials, especially now that he realizes what really is going on in Salem.
In Spite of Death
- What does Danforth hope Elizabeth will do?
Rev. Hale has not yet spoken to John, and Danforth hopes that Elizabeth can persuade him to confess to witchcraft. Elizabeth agrees to do so, but makes no promises.
- What has happened to Giles Corey?
Elizabeth is left alone with John to try and convince him to confess. But before she does so, she tells John that almost 100 people have confessed, but Giles Corey was not among them. He refused to enter a plea when charged by the court so that his farm would go to his sons.
But, in order to force him to enter a plea, Giles was tortured through pressing (a great, heavy stone was put on his chest). However, Giles kept refusing to enter a plea even as more weight was added, which became too heavy and crushed him to death. His last defiant words, Elizabeth says, were ''More Weight.''
Death, Not Lies
- How does Elizabeth convince John to confess to witchcraft?
John asks Elizabeth whether or not he should confess. Elizabeth reminds him that his refusal to confess is out of sheer spite, rather that religious conviction, like Rebecca and Martha. John reluctantly agrees to sign a confession.
- Why does Cheever want John to wrote out his confession?
Both Hathorne and Danforth are ecstatic that John finally wants to confess, and Cheever grabs pen and paper for John to write it out. John asks why he has to write his confession down instead of simply saying it, to which Danforth replies that it will be hung on the church door.
- Why is Rebecca brought in with John? What happens as a result?
Rebecca is brought in to witness John's confession, the idea being that she will follow his example and also confess. However, Rebecca still refuses to confess, and John is ashamed of himself after seeing Rebecca's steadfast refusal.
- What does Danforth want John to do after he confesses? How does he respond?
After his confession, Danforth pressures John to name others as guilty. He asks him if he ever saw Rebecca in the company of the devil, and John says he has not. Danforth then reads names from the list of the accused, and John says no every time. Danforth keeps up the pressure on John, but he says he will only speak to his own guilt, not anyone else's.
- What does John do to his written confession? Why?
John reluctantly signs his written confession, but knowing Danforth wants to use it as proof of his guilt to the village, he grabs it, tears it up, and denounces it. He then tells Danforth the he will not allow his good name to be used as part of some scheme against other townsfolk.
- How does Danforth react to John's defiance?
Danforth calls Herrick, the town Marshall, who the leads John and six other prisoners to the gallows to be hung.
- To what does Rev. Hale attribute John's willingness to die instead of confessing? How does it compare to Elizabeth's?
Rev. Hale pleads with Elizabeth to change John's mind, attributing his willingness to die to pride and stubbornness. Elizabeth, however, refuses, believing her husband is willing to die because he knows he is an innocent man who refused to lie about other matters and implicate other innocent people. As far as she is concerned, this absolves John of his other sins.
