John Proctor free essay sample

Proctor knows that Parris is more concerned about his own pride rather than looking out for the welfare of Salem. This is ironic because Parris was said to be a man of God and yet, he speaks of hell and his primary concern is not the church. John Proctor feels that he has too much power and therefore is compelled to protect that is power at all costs. He is so frustrated with a church and the mob mentality in the town of Salem, Proctor feels obliged to say, â€Å"I say ­I say ­God is dead†(119). In a community that is known for its spiritual zeal, this shows how much of an impact the hysteria had made in the town of Salem. Proctor felt that all the people that had previously claimed’ â€Å"to be members of the church†(93), including Reverend Parris are not living up to their spiritual reputation. This bothers Proctor because he strives to be true to who he really is. We will write a custom essay sample on John Proctor or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Parris accuses John of not going to church regularly and this intensifies Proctor’s hate for Reverend Parris. John decides not go to church because it is so corrupted by the power hungry Reverend Parris. Just as John Proctor spoke out against injustice, we too can and should do the same. Although Proctor was constantly faced with trials that tested his integrity, he always stood strong when these trials presented themselves. One example of Proctor’s courage and inner strength is apparent when he says, â€Å"Elizabeth I have confessed it†(64). When he himself admits to adultery, there is no question whether he really did it or not. From then on John’s good reputation will be permanently blemished in the town Salem. He will now be seen in a different light, that of an untrustworthy farmer with a corrupted history. John Proctor realizes that what he did with Abigail was serious in by saying, â€Å"I lusted I set myself entirely in your hands. I know you must see it now†(110). Here Proctor accepts the fact that he committed a crime and will ultimately pay for it with his life. He has repented from his previous course and now can live with clean conscience and although adulterated in minor ways, he must receive much credit for never being afraid to be so outspoken. For most of the play John stays free from the hysteria in the town, but eventually his wife as well as himself is accused of witchcraft. When Proctor was accused of witchcraft and was asked to sign his name to conjuring spirits, he refused saying, â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How many I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave my name! †(143). This â€Å"my name quote† shows what is really important to him, his name and reputation. He preferred to die in a honorable fashion rather than having guilt hanging over his head for the rest of his life. Another quote that shows John Proctor’s courage is right before he is hanged, he was asked to sign the document, â€Å"to be nailed upon the church†(142). He confesses to get his wife Elizabeth out of prison and uncover the reason for her being accused. He knows that Abigail is trying to get Elizabeth killed so that her desire to marry John can finally be met. John realized this and again spoke out against injustice. Proctor wanted to honor those who died faithfully and therefore admits to the sin he has been hiding. He feels he â€Å"cannot mount the gibbet like a saint†(136) and therefore first admits to lechery before he is executed. John Proctor lived and died as an honorable man in Salem. He was not a perfect man and admittedly some of his decisions were not right. However he won the battle against his conscience and righted the wrong to the best of his ability, motivated by protecting his family’s name from shame. He paid for these convictions with his life. Throughout the play The Crucible, John is motivated to tell the truth even though it ruins reputation, and contributes to the theme of someones reputation. Although he lived and died in the seventeenth century his example is timeless as we are faced with situations similar to his. John Proctor free essay sample In The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrayed John Proctor as a dynamic character in the story. John was a rural farmer in his thirties. John was an honest man who could not stand for hypocrisy. He isolated himself from the issues of Salem, Massachusetts by staying on his farm. Despite his hatred for hypocrites, John held a deep secret that would ruin his reputation if it was uncovered. This secret was his affair with Abigail Williams, who was once a servant to the Proctors and was the niece of Reverend Parris. John Proctor transforms from being minding his own business to becoming the center of the witchcraft trials in Salem. This dilemma started when Reverend Parris stumbled upon Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, his daughter, and his slave Tituba in the forest. Reverend Parris believed that they were practicing witchcraft. Witchcraft was not tolerated under any circumstances in Puritan religion and the consequences would be severe if convicted. We will write a custom essay sample on John Proctor or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the forest, Abigail drinks a potion that would kill John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth â€Å"Goody† Proctor. Goody fired Abigail when she discovered that John was having an affair with her. John’s termination of the affair was the catalyst for Abigail’s jealousy towards Elizabeth. The Proctor’s lived a couple of miles outside of Salem and they were kept out of many of the towns issues. Reverend Hale questioned John Proctor about his faith. Hale noticed that the Proctor’s did not go to Church very often and that their youngest son was not baptized. John says that he does not care for Parris’s theology. Hale then asks Proctor to repeat the Ten Commandments. He remembers all of them except for one, adultery. Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft by Abigail because a rag doll was found in the Proctor home. Abigail rationalizes that she had found a needle in her abdomen and that there was a similar needle in the abdomen of the doll. This accusation infuriates John and leads him to ripping apart the warrant for Elizabeth’s arrest. John tells Mary Warren, his servant, that she needs to testify in court that she put the needle in the doll, not Elizabeth. Mary refuses because Abigail threatened to murder her. John ignores Mary’s complaints and tells her to testify anyway. John Proctor believes that his affair with Abigail damaged his relationship with God, Elizabeth, and himself. Although he did give into sin and committing adultery, he could not forgive himself for his actions. This affects John’s relationship with his wife Elizabeth. He feels bitter towards Elizabeth because she cannot forgive him even though he can’t forgive himself. The only thing he has left now is his good name. His reputation will be ruined once he reveals his affair with Abigail Williams. A public declaration of his sin would aggravate the extent of his sin and thereby making his guilt larger than it had ever been.