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The Crucible John Proctor Honesty Analysis

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The goodness and honesty of a person is revealed when he or she faces a crucible. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a strict Puritan town by the name of Salem is overpowered by the lies and deceit of supposed witchcraft. Everyone is subject to affiliation with the Devil and no one is safe from allegation. Two righteous men – John Proctor and Reverend Hale – compliment and contrast each other in their search to uncover the truth. As the play proceeds, Proctor and Hale find themselves and follow their own moral values. Their devotion to their own code of ethics supersedes their loyalty to the community. In the beginning of the play, Proctor and Hale have contrasting views of the witchcraft occurring in the town. Proctor is skeptical when he first hears of it, “I come to see what mischief your uncle’s brewin’ now.”(22) He says this to Abigail, his former servant whom he had an affair with. Abigail has just informed Proctor as to the witchcraft and Proctor is quick to make a joke of it. His sense of humor and sarcasm show that he isn’t taking the matter seriously. Hale, on the other hand, is summoned to Salem to examine the “tainted”, for he is …show more content…

If he signs the paper, everybody will know that he associated with the Devil – something Proctor can’t find the will to do. Not only would it tarnish his name, but also his soul. “I can. And there’s your first marvel, that I can.”(144) Proctor is able to die because he has finally forgiven himself. He can die peacefully knowing that he told the truth – he could not live with a lie. This quote portrays Proctor’s courage to become one with his fait. Hale, in contrast, is a firm believer that life is the best gift given by God and should not be threatened. He does not want Proctor to die and begs Elizabeth to bargain with him. Unfortunately for him, Elizabeth is unwilling to take away such pride from

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