Why Did John Proctor Stand Behind Him

“I come to see what mischief your uncle’s brewin’ now.” John Proctor says this to Abigail when she asks why he has come to town. Proctor is no saint. The uncle he is referring to is Reverend Parris, the minister of his parish or town. John Proctor has three key reasons why he doesn’t stand behind Parris. First, he is displeased at how much Parris speaks of hell in his sermons. Second, he believes Parris is greedy, and lastly, he does not see Parris as an honorable leader of the church. Therefore, Proctor is drawn to the dark atmosphere surrounding Parris due to what the girls did in the woods, so he can wallow in it due to his displeasure with Parris. Hence, John Proctor is not a devout puritan because he rejects the authority of the

He forgot the tenth commandment when questioned by Reverend Hale. That doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it was a big deal. Reverend Hale describes theology as a “fortress”, and that “no crack in the fortress may be accounted small.” Meaning that you either get all or nothing, so Proctor forgetting the tenth commandment set off a red flag for Hale and everyone else in the room. In their eyes, and in accordance with the puritan faith; only a devout Puritan would have all of their commandments memorized. Plus, Proctor’s third son is not baptized because Proctor will not “let Mr. Parris lay a hand upon my (Proctor’s) baby.” Proctor doesn’t see Parris as an honorable leader of the church, but that is clouding his participation in a religious practice, baptism. The final reason why Proctor’s religious knowledge and participation are clouded is because he believes Reverend Parris is greed because Parris was “the first minister ever did demand the deed to his house,” and he “preached nothing but golden candlesticks until he had them.” Once again, one who is Puritan needs to have faith in their religious leader, but Proctor can’t. As a result, he isn’t a devout