Examples Of Little White Lies In The Crucible

Vauvenargues once wrote, “The art of pleasing is the art of deception.” Most all of us have a natural inclination to please others and to be loved, and often we reach our goals by spilling what seem to be “little white lies,” or even more weighty ones at times. What may seem like a series of small and insignificant lies can very easily lead us into a deep chasm from which we cannot find our way out. It is at this moment we must stop and ask ourselves, “will one more lie get me out of this hole, or am I doomed to accept my fate by the hand of the truth?” In The Crucible, John Proctor struggles with this same conflict. In sparking a state of chaos in Salem, and enveloping himself in lies to cover his own faults, Proctor comes to an ultimatum: live to tell another lie, or die for the sake of the truth? His decision gives us a window into the values of a man as an individual, and perspective on what we value as a society and as human beings.

Closely following his act of adultery with Abigail Williams, we begin to see the cracks in Proctor’s persona and personal image. A veil of secrecy is apparent in John and Elizabeth’s marriage, with John covering up the truth whenever he needs to, and as Abigail catalyzes the witch hysteria, John is forced by society and self-preservation to continue with his incessant mistruths. Eventually we begin to notice that John grows heavy with stress and anxiety, and as he walks more deeply into this dark chasm of dishonesty, it gets more difficult for him to find his way out. One thing that remains constant, however, is Proctor’s sense of honor and the importance of his own