Inspired by the Red Scare, which was fueled by the use of the either-or (black and white) thinking error, The Crucible Arthur Miller depicts the village of Salem undergoing its own period of black-and-white thinking, accompanied by the suspicion and hysteria that followed. Miller exploits the literary element of the setting to support the depiction of the effects of black and white thinking in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The start of something new establishes a set of opportunities, creating optimism and a goal for an uncertain future. Establishing colonies in the New World presented a delightful scenario for curious opportunists and religious refugees. For reasons of economic gain, escape from religious repression, and a multitude of other reasons, the English colonists decided to take a risk and seek the possibility of freedom. They perceived this New World as an unknown place, a place where its inhabitants were “blind” and in desperate need of God’s revelation. Because the colonists wanted to help the natives achieve salvation, they marked this design on the first seal of the Massachusetts Bay Colony: "Come Help Us" (the first seal of the Massachusetts Bay Colony). Their seal reflected the commercial activity and missionary intentions of the early settlers. The colonists saw themselves as the fiery touch about to light up the shadows existing in the New World. “In short, they believed that in their steady hands they held the candle that would light the world. […] It helped them with the discipline it gave them. (The Crucible, 5) They were hard-working and successful people. They were the ones who maintained strict orthodoxy. They were the ones who succeeded where others...... middle of paper ...... ion in the village, hysteria set in and people turned against each other. In a pure and orthodox setting, the use of black and white thinking in the village of Salem had devastating effects. After the creation of a completely new company, optimism for a bright future was high. Because of this optimism, the use of black and white thinking made any abnormality critical in settler society. The townspeople made blind accusations and false accusations based on suspicions arising from the use of black and white thinking. In the colony's decidedly religious setting, black-and-white thinking became a major cause of unrest, suspicion, and hysteria that quickly spread throughout the city. These types of errors, like those of the McCarthy era, turned average citizens into fearful and distrustful vigilantes against unorthodox organizations..