The Importance Of Reputation In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller, in his play The Crucible, tells the story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. A person’s reputation is important because it’s something that people are going to remember about you when others talk about you.
John Proctors attitude about his reputation is revealed when he is conflicted about lying.
In the final scene of the play, Proctor’s conflict is he must decide what more important his reputation or his life. His choices are Danforth wants him to confess to witchcraft in order to be removed from prison. (Miller Act 3) When it is explained to him that he must sign a confession,
Proctor hesitates. (Miller 211) Proctors choices relates to the importance of his reputation
by lying to the judges to keep his good name so he tries to get Abby in trouble since Abby is accusing his wife and all of his friends of witchcraft.
After thinking about his choices, Proctor decides to rip up his signed confession for two reasons
Danforth tells one of his court marshals to hang it on the church door so that John can be used as an example to people who refuse to confess to witchcraft. The second reason is that John realizes that signing his confession will ruin his name for his three sons. Arthur Miller has his character,
John Proctor, change his mind because he knows that his wife is being charged with witchcraft so John Proctor does everything in his power to keep his wife alive, and for Marry Warren to tell the judges that Abby doesn’t see spirits anymore and that she never saw them, he will give them his life for the crime of witchcraft (Miller 211) Proctor makes his final decision to rip up his contract and keep his good name. His final decision is based on his attitude about his reputation and to keep his wife alive.
Proctors conflict about whether he should or should not lie is due to his attitude about his reputation. This attitude is that he cares about the reputation about his friends. Arthur Miller presents many themes in his play. One of the main themes relates to the importance of a person’s reputation. Even though the play is written about a time period long ago, it is a reminder in modern times that a person’s reputation does matter because in the world that we live in today people will make up lies about you to make your reputation bad and there’s good.
John Proctors attitude about his reputation is revealed when he is conflicted about lying.
In the final scene of the play, Proctor’s conflict is he must decide what more important his reputation or his life. His choices are Danforth wants him to confess to witchcraft in order to be removed from prison. (Miller Act 3) When it is explained to him that he must sign a confession,
Proctor hesitates. (Miller 211) Proctors choices relates to the importance of his reputation
by lying to the judges to keep his good name so he tries to get Abby in trouble since Abby is accusing his wife and all of his friends of witchcraft.
After thinking about his choices, Proctor decides to rip up his signed confession for two reasons
Danforth tells one of his court marshals to hang it on the church door so that John can be used as an example to people who refuse to confess to witchcraft. The second reason is that John realizes that signing his confession will ruin his name for his three sons. Arthur Miller has his character,
John Proctor, change his mind because he knows that his wife is being charged with witchcraft so John Proctor does everything in his power to keep his wife alive, and for Marry Warren to tell the judges that Abby doesn’t see spirits anymore and that she never saw them, he will give them his life for the crime of witchcraft (Miller 211) Proctor makes his final decision to rip up his contract and keep his good name. His final decision is based on his attitude about his reputation and to keep his wife alive.
Proctors conflict about whether he should or should not lie is due to his attitude about his reputation. This attitude is that he cares about the reputation about his friends. Arthur Miller presents many themes in his play. One of the main themes relates to the importance of a person’s reputation. Even though the play is written about a time period long ago, it is a reminder in modern times that a person’s reputation does matter because in the world that we live in today people will make up lies about you to make your reputation bad and there’s good.