Question

in what way does the information Miller provides in these essay like passages differ from the typical stage direction or dialogue

Answer 1

(I assume you are talking about Arthur Miller's passages in his plays like The Crucible) it gives extra information to the reader that an audience member would not know. This background information is extra to the story, not necessary but help the reader get a context with the story but also apply it to what is going on in Miller's time period.