Arthur Miller, the son of a wealthy father who lost all of his money in the crash of 1929, abandoned his schooling as a young child to support his family through various odd jobs. These jobs provided Miller with insight into the life of an average American, which he later incorporated as a central theme in many of his works such as “View from the Bridge” and “The Misfits”. Through these varied experiences, Miller came to appreciate the significance of literature. Despite not completing high school, he successfully convinced the University of Michigan to admit him as a student. To finance his college education, Miller wrote for a newspaper and earned prize money from his written works.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller was written with a focus on the common man. Miller, who had personal experience working different jobs to support his family, could empathize with the challenges faced by ordinary people.
This concern for the common man is evident in all of Miller’s plays. According to Denis M. Calandra, there were suspicions that Miller may be a communist due to his connection with the common man.
Furthermore, Miller’s writing style showcases his emphasis on the common man as he explicitly describes alterations made in the play and offers a comprehensive account of events throughout the book.
The book The Crucible was published by the Viking Press in the United States of America in 1953 and also in 1964. Viking Press continued publishing The Crucible multiple times, including in 1965 (twice), 1966, 1967, 1968 (three times), 1969 (twice), 1970 (twice), 1971 (twice), 1972 (twice), and finally in 1973, ,1974, and lastly in 1975 and then again in 1976. Penguin Books took over publication of The Crucible from the years of -1986. The copyright dates on The Crucible range from1952 to1981.
Miller’s writing style is rooted in his childhood and upbringing. It is understandable and accessible because he intentionally writes for the common man, reflecting his own experiences with this demographic. His writing does not cater to the extremes of being too simplistic or overly complex; it strikes a balance in the middle. Unlike ordinary writers, Miller surpasses them by comprehending the average man, which greatly contributes to his exceptional writing style.
Arthur Miller, the author of the book The Crucible, is known for being a prejudiced writer. His prejudice stems from his constant support for the average person, regardless of the circumstances. Whether faced with a good rich person or a bad poor person, Miller’s inclination would likely be to stand by the poorer individual or the lower middle class person. This bias can be attributed to his own personal experience of poverty or being part of the lower middle class.
