Each year, sophomores are required to read the Arthur Miller classic “The Crucible.”

Arthur Miller is considered a great playwright who, besides “The Crucible,” has written “All My Sons,” “A View from the Bridge,” and “After the Fall.”

The play, which was written in 1953 fictionalizes the events of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials and is an allegory for the Red Scare. The play was written based on the court documents of the actual trials and uses the names of the real men and women who were affected by the events of the witch hunts.

In this play, you enter a world of early America where jealousy, fear, and paranoia take over the little town of Salem.

The plot focuses on John Proctor, a well respected man in town. He’s guilt-ridden after having an affair with the reverend’s niece, Abigail.

As the play progresses, you read how his actions and Abigail’s lust have consequences that shake the whole town. Characters like Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, and Mary Warren, the Proctor’s servant, add suspense to the story that keeps you wondering what will happen next.

Students reading it for the first time have high praises. They love the plot twists, author’s craft, and figurative language.

Sophomore Madeline Raysin loved the book.

“I thought it was great,” Raysin said. “It gave examples of what we learned with our reading journal.”

With the play being a praised work of partially dramatized fiction, it’s no surprise that people of all grades enjoyed it.

Junior Brianna Joseph said she enjoyed when they listened to the recording of the play and that “it was a good story.”

The play has been a required reading at KHS for over 25 years and English teachers enjoy sharing the story with students each year.

Mrs. Marti VanOverbeke, English teacher, thinks “The Crucible” is a great drama.

“The play really speaks to Puritan beliefs and values,” VanOverbeke said. “It’s a really important book that explains the effects of hysteria.”