ipl-logo

John Proctor's Conflict With Society

612 Words3 Pages

There are many ways that John Proctor’s actions, speech, and decisions in Acts 3 and 4 illustrate a man in conflict with his society. One way that his speech shows him being in conflict with society is when he yells --with a cry of his whole soul “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 may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”-- Proctors yelling of this shows his conflict with society because in his theocratic society, it is a form of repentance to have your name, that you signed, on the church door. In his society, that is the thing you must do for your sins. He didn't want to sign it because he …show more content…

He shows slight affection for her and then brushes it off, “Ah, you're wicked yet, aren't y’! You'll be clapped in the stocks before you're twenty!” He says all of this with a smile and then when Abigail returns the affection, he realizes the sin and backs off. One way Proctors decisions show his conflict with society is how he lives his life. He doesn't go to church regularly which is extremely odd in a theocratic society, He plows on Sunday which is supposed to be a “day of rest,” He did not baptize his third son, he doesn't truly participate in his society's activities, and he didn't know the commandments. He made these decisions which at the time didn't seem all that bad but as the witch trials started those decisions became the critical pieces that damned him and his wife. He didn't want to go to church because he thought the church was all about money, he plowed on sunday because his farm wasn't yielding a lot of crop. He made all of these conscious decisions that ultimately killed him. In conclusion, these are just a few ways that John Proctors actions, speech, and decisions in Acts 3 and 4 illustrate a man in conflict with his

Show More
Related

  • How Does John Proctor Change In The Crucible

    937 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing Himself.” Leo Tolstoy is correct about how we like to blame others before we see each other. However In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. There are Dramatic changes in many characters and their journies. One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Struggles In The Crucible

    829 Words  | 4 Pages

    The inability to remain economically stable has released fear among people, making them indulge in irrational behaviors to protect their personal welfare and financial status. In the beginning of the play “The Crucible, Samuel Parris is introduced, a Puritan minister in the Town of Salem. He is afflicted because his sick daughter will not wake up, yet his true colors are later revealed. He angrily questions his niece Abigail of any abomination done by her that could have lead to that state of her daughter, for he argues that he has “fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people… and that now, just now when some good respect is rising for him…” she has compromised his character (Miller 11). It is revealed that he doesn’t actually

    Read More

  • The Crucible Rough Draft Analysis

    700 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Crucible Rough Draft Have you ever felt guilt? Guilt can control a lot of people. Guilt did control some of the characters in the Crucible. John Proctor had a lot of guilt thought out the Crucible for having an affair with Abigail and hurting his wife Elizabeth because of having the affair with Abigail.

    Read More

  • John Proctor Guilt Analysis

    614 Words  | 3 Pages

    Guilt is the fact or state of having committed an offense or wrong against your moral law. Have you ever felt guilty? John Proctor did. He thought there was no way for him to be content with himself again. In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, John Proctor struggles with the guilt he has for committing lechery and learns how to live with it throughout the play.

    Read More

  • John Proctor Sacrifice In The Crucible

    705 Words  | 3 Pages

    John Proctor was a man of honor and had a well respected name in the town of Salem. Sadly he died tragically but as a hero. He was hanged because he was accused of doing the devil’s work. He was given the chance to save his life if he admitted on a piece of paper that he was working with the devil but he refused to tell that lie. He wanted his sons to be able to walk the streets without being shunned from the world because they deserved better.

    Read More

  • Life Or Death: Did John Proctor Make The Right Decision?

    1158 Words  | 5 Pages

    Life or Death: Did John Proctor Make the Right Decision? Countless people have learned about the lies and horrors of witches in 1692 during the Salem Witch trials. In The Crucible, a tragedy written by Arthur Miller, it displays the tragedy and wrongful convictions of the townsfolk of Salem. One notable character being John Proctor a well respected upperclassman in Salem who was willing to confess his sins, sacrificing his life for the greater good of his family and friends. There are many reasons people choose to do things in life whether or not they will turn out well in the end.

    Read More

  • Internal Conflict In The Crucible

    1095 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Crucible - Conflict Analysis John Proctor Internal: John Proctor’s most eminent internal conflict is over the sin he has committed, adultery. Proctor cheated on his wife with Abigail Williams, and this makes Proctor feel incredibly guilty because in the town, he is “respected and even feared” (19). He tried very hard, and succeeded, with keeping this moral crime to himself. He still walked about Salem as if he was “an untroubled soul,” (21) however, avoiding the sin again would be a difficult task. Abigail flirts with him, in attempt to have him for one last night, and it’s obvious Proctor has an arduous time pushing her away.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Lies In The Crucible

    494 Words  | 2 Pages

    Proctor even told them he is not something to be used to help them, “you will not use me” (4, 699). Proctor will not allow the town to use his name to save themselves for killing all the innocent people before him. Proctor even pleads with them, “I have given you my soul; leave me my name” (4, 730). Proctor is saying how the integrity he has is only left in his name since his soul has been sinned.

    Read More

  • John Proctor Internal Conflict

    223 Words  | 1 Pages

    The characters that had internal conflict were Abigail and John Proctor. Both of these characters were in an affair that remained a secret until Elizabeth Proctor's wife found out about the affair. Abigail is still in love with Proctor "I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart" (pp. 177). The quote illustrates that Abigail is still deeply in love with Proctor. Whereas John "No, no, Abby.

    Read More

  • Opposition In The Crucible

    485 Words  | 2 Pages

    To lie about religion, and decisions or to die. John Proctor’s morals

    Read More

  • The Crucible John Proctor Quotes Analysis

    477 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor’s character is one based on reputation, and guilt. The guilt comes from his affair with Abigail Williams. The reputation aspect comes from when he is accused by Mary Warren of trying to turn her to the Devil. I believe that John Proctor grows tired of the accusations, as to why he speaks of his false involvement with Satan in front of the town. Specifically, Deputy Danforth uses John Proctor as an example for conviction as he is certain he will be able to turn others

    Read More

  • Theme Of Integrity In The Crucible

    914 Words  | 4 Pages

    It Proctor values his reputation, albeit in a positive way (unlike characters such as Abigail) when he says"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 may I live without my name?

    Read More

  • Self Preservation In The Crucible

    670 Words  | 3 Pages

    As written in The Crucible john proctor refuses as miller has stated, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my ,life! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!” (Miller 1164). By saying this John Proctor has just realized and ends up trying to get the point across that he no longer wants to go through with his lie and feels guilty about the situation he is in.

    Read More

  • The Qualities Of John Proctor In The Crucible

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first impressive characteristic of John Proctor is his bravery. Speaking out against the “afflicted” girls in the way he did could cause serious question of him as a person. From the court’s standpoint John could be seen as directly opposing the court, which would have him jailed, or could even have him be accused of witchcraft. Also, he would have had to have known that Abigail Williams would have immediately accused him of being a witch once he spoke out against them. However, that did not stop him from delivering the truth to the court.

    Read More

  • Essay About John Proctor's Downfall

    478 Words  | 2 Pages

    He considers his name to have more value than his life. In Act IV, on page 1352, Proctor says, “Spite only keeps me silent. It is hard to give a lie to Dogs.” He is saying that his pride keeps him from “confessing” to witchcraft and saving his life. On

    Read More

More about John Proctor's Conflict With Society

Open Document