Proctor's Choice in: the Crucible

The Crucible: Timed Writing The choice between life and honor is often times be a difficult choice for people. Traditional Japanese custom teaches to take one’s life in order to preserve your honor. However, man’s will to live will compel him to do anything, including lying in order to protect their own life. There’s no doubt John Proctor had that will to live however, in the end he chose death and I disagree with his decision. He should have lied because, his name is already blackened due to his affair with Abigail, his wife is pregnant and he could eventually redeem his name by living an honest and true life. John Proctor picked death in order to keep his name from being smeared after his death. While a noble thought, it was in vain that he died. His name had already been blackened by his now publicly known affair with Abigail while he was married. This means that his dying proclamation had been for naught, despite his best efforts he still failed to die with a clean name. With this in mind, Proctor should have chosen to lie and spend the rest of his natural life trying to restore his name so his dying wish would be true. The intention of condemning one’s self to death is generally selfless and for the greater good. However in Proctor’s case, it was quite the opposite and it was actually selfish. He had a community in need of strong male leaders like him following the trials; he had friends who were mourning the death of a loved one or spouse and most importantly he left his wife and unborn child. He broke his wedding oath of “till death do us part” by deciding upon a premature death for himself. In doing this he left his unborn child to be raised by a widow in a miserable community. Proctor’s selfish decision would have untold horrible effects on his family and his community. If proctor’s role as a husband and Father isn’t convincing enough to save his life, maybe the possibility of redemption would be. Until you die, you can change the world