the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in the style of Dark Realism, Hysteria can tear a community apart. Hysteria supplants logic and enables people to believe things that would previously be rejected out of hand. People accept and become active in the hysterical climate because it gives them a chance to express repressed sentiments and act on long-held grudges. Fear of guilt by association becomes particularly destructive. Maintenance of reputation is tremendously important. Witch trials empower some who previously believed they had little power. The witch trial system thrives on accusations and confessions, which provide the proof of the 'justice' being dispensed by those in positions of authority. Fervor of accusations destroys rational thought. To belong to the community of the accusers and the powerful, one must adhere to ever-changing strict codes. The fear of being the next person accused added to the environment of panic and paranoia.