Joshua Andersen

Oct. 31, 2015

Hon LA 11 Per. 8B
Literary Analysis Essay
Choosing Between Good and Evil
For thousands of years, people have been classified as good or evil. Dating
back to Adam and Eve, Cain was overcome with the power of evil and killed his
innocent brother Abel. It is easy to see that once sin has hold upon someone, it
slithers its way into that persons life, and it becomes harder to slip away from its
grasp. Although, if one is lucky enough to realize the situation, there is always a
light that can be seen, and that light has the power to save. The Crucible by Arthur
Miller portrays this perfectly. Salem Massachusetts was ultimately meant to be a
City Upon a Hill. But in the course of time, in the 1690s a series of trials and
accusations of witchcraft swept through the town, and resulted in the deaths of
twenty innocent people. Throughout the story, Miller shows how one man, John
Proctor, is torn between confessing the truth, or living with a lie. There are three
events that actually change what kind of person John Proctor chooses to be. The
first one is getting rid of their maid, Abigail Williams. The second is John confessing
in court of his adultery, and the third is John choosing to live with a lie or to die with
honor.
Elizabeth helps John by sending Abigail away from their household, trying to
make their relationship more bonded. She is still doubtful of Johns potential to
become a good and righteous person. Their relationship is wintry and there is a
deep cut in their marriage that will only be a detriment to them in the long run. The

only thing John wants is her forgiveness, but his sin is too dubious. John strives to
become a changed man learning from his many errors.
Furthermore, in the story accusations of witchcraft become more and more
prevalent and the whole time John sees it all as nonsense. Only when his wife is
accused by Abigail, does he start to take a major role in the lives of him and others.
Attempting to persuade the court that Abigail is a wicked girl, he finally confesses of
his adultery. Again, Johns life will be determined in the hands of his wife Elizabeth
when she tells the court that John did in fact not commit this great sin.
Unfortunately, for the first time in their marriage, she lies and in attempting to save
John, she actually tears down his potential of becoming good again. Ironically, when
she tries to save John, she actually puts him at great risk.
Finally, the turning point of the story is when John has to choose between
confessing of witchery and live, or staying with his words and be hanged. Either
decision John has to make will affect the lives of his family and friends greatly.
Confessing of witchcraft would blacken his name in the village, and he would have
to live with that for the rest of his life, as well as his children. On the other hand, if
he stayed true to his words, he will have to leave behind his loved ones but die
knowing that he wouldnt have to live with a lie. Elizabeth reassures John greatly
and trusts him that whatever choice he makes will be the right one. John chooses
that he will die with honor and knows that he has finally become a good person in
doing what was the most possibly right thing to do.
In conclusion, the people of Salem went through many trials that would
determine who lived and who died. Their idea of having a God-devoted society
eventually damaged their wanting to become such a great people. They

overstressed the concepts of good and evil which consequently lead to the Salem
Witch Trials. Many people lost that light that was necessary for their redemption,
such as John Proctor, but in the course of the story he finally gained his full potential
of grasping a hold onto it. The strict wall between good and evil back in those days
can teach us several things. The biggest truth that can be extracted from that is
people can be lead to sin very easily, but once a light is turned on, the way can be
found once again.