Arthur Miller's play The Crucible tells the story of witch trials in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts. Miller wrote the play in 1953, during a period known as the McCarthy Era, when Senator Joseph McCarthy led efforts to find and punish communists in the United States. Research the political climate of the McCarthy Era and compare it to that of The Crucible. How were these two eras alike? How were they different?

Which is the best explanation of what the prompt is asking writers to do?

A. To investigate the time period during which Arthur Miller wrote, and explain how the events of that period influenced his writing

B. To gather information about the McCarthy Era and point out similarities and differences between it and the historical setting of a work of literature

C. To examine the effect of 1950s politics on the events that occurred in Salem, as portrayed in The Crucible

D. To compare and contrast Arthur Miller, the playwright, with Joseph McCarthy, the U.S. senator