John Proctor Influence On The Crucible

Throughout Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, the characters are constantly faced with many compelling influences. The protagonist in The Crucible, John Proctor, is faced with the conflicting decision of pleading guilty along with countless others in being a witch or being hung as a guilt-free Christian. The thirteen people, of whom before Proctor had been accused as a witch, had began to accept the penalty of not saying they are a witch. Because of their decision to not be persuaded by the accusing children, these people strongly persuaded Proctor to accompanying the others of his community. But with the strong persuasion to stay silent, many of the accused people were being prompted into pleading guilty and being allowed to stay alive. For John, the decision that he must make is a direct reflection upon his own morals. In the choice of nobility or life, one's morals will come into consideration.

The main consideration, of which affects Proctors view on life, is the

For John Proctor to not give Danforth his name and being hung would give him a sense of moral freedom. Proctor felt as though that through his decision of not pleading guilty, he would be able to die as a guilt-free noble Christian man. With Proctor not giving Danforth his name, Proctor was able to maintain his sense of dignity of his name and would be able to die with the assumption that his children could grow up knowing their father did not succumb to the pressure of their society and that he had died with a charitable Christian name, “I do think I see some shed of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs” (Miller 144). Through Proctor’s success in keeping his name pure, Proctor, along with his wife Elizabeth, were able to realise that Proctor not signing his name to save his life would be more successful in his