Mary Warren Character

A story is only as good its characters, because the characters are what capture our attention, they’re what keep our attention. A good writer forces us to feel sympathy for those beyond redemption; as a story changes, the characters change with it, and sometimes we change too. These characters may not change for the better, they make go back to their old ways, but they change at some point, and even the small changes matter. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Mary Warren changes for the better, until she goes back to her old ways. Yet that’s what made her so realistic, she wasn’t always good or noble, she wasn’t brave. Mary Warren was absolutely, without a doubt, a coward, and a selfish one at that. However, she knew she was selfish and cowardly, she hated that about herself and wanted to change, like so many of us do. I think the one person (or character in this case) who would truly understand Mary’s desire is Peter Pettigrew from the famous Harry Potter series. Like Peter, Mary was a timid follower of a well-known group with questionable motives. Both characters admired and longed for the kindness and
bravery that they so desperately lacked, but in the end, both chose self-preservation over their morals. However, what I find most compelling about Mary is that she did what was right at some point, which is something Peter was never brave enough to do. In a way, it makes her less sympathetic, because she has enough courage to do what she thinks is right, and she still betrays everyone. Before the beginning of the play, Mary Warren is discovered in the woods, where her friends are dancing naked around a fire, and all girls are accused of practicing witchcraft. Unlike her peers, Mary Warren is innocent of the crimes she is accused of and wishes to tell the truth, “We must tell the truth, Abby! You'll only be whipped for dancin', and the other things!” (Miller, Arthur. "Act 1." The Crucible. 50th Anniversary ed. Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin, 1976. 18. Print.). Upon hearing this, Abigail immediately shoots down Mary’s request, threatening her life if she dares to confess:
“I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.
And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!” (Miller, Arthur. "Act 1." The Crucible. 50th Anniversary ed. Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin, 1976. 19. Print.)
Not only did Abigail threaten Mary, but the descriptive and aggressive manner in which she did so helps readers know that Abigail is the dominant personality in their friendship. The casual and and apathetic manner in which she describes her parent’s murder is a textbook sign of sociopathy (Thomas, M. E. "How to Spot a Sociopath." Psychology Today. Psychology Today, 7 May 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.). Mary Warren was right to fear
Abigail.