The Crucible John Proctor Reputation Essay

The Crucible

The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a book/play that explains the witch trials that happened in Salem Massachusetts. Because we need a good reputation to have a good self- esteem, John Proctor struggles to decide what is the most important to him, life or reputation.

In this book John has a conflict with himself on whether his life or his reputation is more important. In the book Proctor says “You are the high court, your word is good enough! Tell them I confessed myself; say Proctor broke his knees and wept like a woman; say what you will, but my name cannot”. The reason this text evidence is important is because this is showing that he has confessed but he won’t sign his name because his reputation is more important to him

All of

Proctors friends and people that care for him are trying to get him to sign his name so he won’t be hanged.

Before the high court makes the decision that he will be hung Hale tries to convince

Elizabeth to tell John to sign his name but, she say’s “ He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” What she means by this is that he has decided to keep his good name and not ruin it by signing the paper. This conflict John is having and how it effects people around him connects to the universal theme of respect and reputation. John’s true friends and family have good respect for John and His good name so they let him make his own decision of not signing the paper’s.

These witch trials in Salem Massachusetts show how just a little bit of lies and deception can change a town in just a few days. There were multiple conflicts between multiple people and everybody wanted a good reputation, John struggles to decide if his name is more important to him than his own life. In thought of that, the theme of respect and reputation is a big part in the life of anybody, John and the people of Salem have conflicts about this across all disciplines of

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