Appeal to Fear Fallacy By Haley Myers Chelsea

Appeal to Fear Fallacy By: Haley Myers, Chelsea Northrup and Kaylyn Goodwin

Appeal to Fear • Definition: Target is persuaded to agree by threats or force. • Mostly, this is done by some form of threat, which may be to the person or may be to something about which they care. The threat may be physical, emotional or spiritual.

Universal Appeal to Fear • In every country, with every religion there always those preachers who focus on all the negative affects of not following his/her teachings. This is known as “hellfire” preaching. • This is an appeal to fear because the assembly is threatened by the preacher and is subconsciously forced to believe what he/she believes in an attempt to escape hellfire and damnation.

Crucible Example 1 Act 2 Pg. 203 Cheever: “ The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without warnin’ she falls to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck 2 inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she come to be so stabbed, she- testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in. ”

Explanation This quote appeals to fear because Abigail watched Marry Warren sewing the poppet and watched as she stuck the needle in the stomach when she was finished. Knowing Marry Warren lived with the Proctors, she knew that was where the poppet would end up. Seeking attention and love of John Proctor she knew she had to somehow get rid of Elizabeth. When Abigail stuck the needle in her stomach and making the accusation that Elizabeth’s “spirit” had done it, arose fear among those who searched the Proctor house and found the poppet with the needle in it’s belly.

Crucible Example 2 Act 3 pg. 224 Abigail: “Why do you come yellow bird? ”. . . “But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin Mary. ”. . . “Oh, Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot stop my mouth; it’s God’s work I do. ”

Explanation This section is appeal to fear because Abigail is subconsciously threatening Mary Warren by drawing the court’s attention towards her and making them believe she to is working for the devil. This forces her to lie and cover for Abigail and turn against the Proctors. Abigail was being manipulative in order to take attention off the truth and turn back towards Elizabeth Proctor.

Works Cited “Appeal to Fear. ” TV Tropes, nd. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. Steven Downes. “Logical Fallacies. ” Constitution, 6 Jan. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.