John Hale Essay

Cindy Chacon 3CP English Mrs. Hagan 10-25-10 Torn What happens when a person's places his whole-hearted trust in someone he has been completely wrong about? A good example of this, in Arthur Miller's four-act play The Crucible, happens when Reverend John Hale finds himself in a community entwined with lies, deceit, and betrayal. The play starts out in Salem, Massachusetts when a group of girls are discovered dancing in the woods at night. The girls' actions lead the local town's people of Salem in a suspicion of witch-craft when Betty Parris, the daughter of the local minister Reverend Parris, lay in bed one morning not being able to wake. Caught up in the whole talk and suspicion of witch-craft, Reverend Parris sends for help from a man more familiar on the subject, Reverend John Hale of Beverly. It brings out on page 842 of the play that "Mr. Hale is nearing forty." Even though Hale is not young, his wisdom has helped him become a very intellectual man, one of the reasons Parris calls to him for help. Hale has a wide spread reputation of being experienced on the subject of witch-craft and a man close to God. Although being closed-minded and prideful at times, Reverend John Hale's passion to do right for the people stands out the most in his character. Hale owns up to his closed-minded reputation by listening to the opinions written in the books he studies and carries around with him. His intolerance of the opinions around him make him stubbornly unreceptive to any ideas other than his own. On page 842 in act one of the play, Miller describes Hale as a "tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual." This quote helps the readers perceive a realistic vision of Hale's character. The day Hale arrives in Salem, his investigation immediately begins. Parris informs Hale of a group of girls accusing others of witch-craft. Hale lets no time go to waste by willingly inserting himself into the middle of the action. His sense of pride becomes the main motive in