John Proctor essays

John Proctor essays Reputation is by far the most imperative aspect to daily life in Salem, Massachusetts. Morals were both placed at a very high value publicly as well as privately. If a farmers crop came out particularly bad one year, he or she could place the blame upon their neighbor rather than taking responsibility. He or she could put the blame entirely upon thy neighbor, or simply make a claim the devil made me do it. If one was accused of such blasphemy they would be imprisoned and hanged unless they confessed to practicing the dark art of Witchcraft. The reader can notice the emphasis on reputation in the novel The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The protagonist, John Proctor, is an honest, upright, and outspoken man. From the very start of the play the reader can notice his loathing of restrictions of to much authority. One can perceive that he is a truthful and witty character with one deep fatal flaw, his affair with Abigail Williams. (Which occurs before the play starts.) Throughout the novel J ohn Proctor goes through self torment and guilt for his action of lechery. With the Salem witch trials in full spin only John can end them but in doing so he must taint his name, whilst putting a large dent in his reputation throughout the town. By doing this John is seen as the tragic hero, who goes through a great change and finally finds comfort by being hung in the gallows with his fellow accused. John Proctor is displayed as a revolting, tragic hero, against the restrictions of too much authority. Living on the outskirts of town and attending church at least once a month was very peculiar during Puritan times. John Proctor, however, did not see this is as wrong. In fact he even plowed on Sundays. John did not attend the sermons during this time due to the lack of material being presented in the church. Every Sunday the sermon was about hellfire and brimstone, which was not of importance to such a wily character as ...