Motivations for the Trials in The CrucibleIn Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. There are many theories as to why the witch trials occurred, the most popular of which involves the girls' repressed childhoods. However, there were other factors as well, such as Abigail Williams' relationship with John Proctor, the secret grudges the neighbors held against each other, and the physical and economic differences between the citizens of Salem Village. From a historical perspective, it is known that young girls in colonial Massachusetts were given little to no freedom to behave like children. They were expected to walk upright, with their arms at their sides, their eyes slightly lowered, and their mouths closed unless otherwise asked to speak. It's no surprise that girls find this type of lifestyle very restrictive. To rebel, they played pranks, such as dancing in the woods, listening to slaves' stories of magic, and pretending that the other villagers were bewitching them. The Crucible begins after the village girls are caught dancing in the woods. When one of them falls ill, rumors begin to circulate that witchcraft is going on in the woods and that the sick girl is bewitched. Once the girls talk to each other, they become increasingly afraid of being accused of being witches, so Abigail begins accusing others of practicing witchcraft. The other girls all band together so the blame isn't placed on them. In the novel, Abigail begins the accusations by saying, "I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the devil! I saw Osburn Good with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" Another girl, Betty, continues the cry by saying, "I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!" From here on the accusations grow and grow until the prisons are overflowing with accused witches. It must have given them an incredible sense of power when the entire town of Salem listened to their words and believed every single accusation. After all, children were meant to be seen and not heard in Puritan society, and the newfound attention was likely overwhelming. In the third act of The Crucible, the girls were called before the judges to defend themselves against accusations that they were just acting..