Bryan Brinkman

Aiden Hess

Cameron Semrow

English 11, Period 5

The Crucible Essay

13 January 2020

The Crucible

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the lead character, John Proctor, finds himself

conflicted with his pride and his sins. At the end of the script, he tears the very document that

will save his life to save everyone else’s. While we notice his conflict throughout the story, some

will believe that he does this for the greater good and not for his reputation. John’s act is very

believable as the story continues; we see him becoming more human and more caring for others.

In the beginning, John Proctor is a man that has committed lechery with his housemaid,

Abigail Williams. This sin haunts him throughout the script, and we can see the effects of it on

him. The story introduces John as a strong, but almost lifeless person. He is harsh on everyone,

including himself, and his honesty is brutal most of the time (Miller, 2016, p. 20-21). While he

knows that what he has done is a sin, he keeps this fact in denial for the most part and pushes

Abigail away when she mentions it.

Partway through the story, John is in his home, interacting with his wife, Elizabeth. He

has respect for her, but it is clear that they are not fond of each other’s company. While John

knows he has committed lechery, he still refuses to commit other sins, depicted through the

honesty he shows. When the deputy arrived at his home, they accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft and

take her to court. It’s here when we see a sudden spark in John while he fights for his wife as she
gets taken away (Miller, 2016, p. 78). In the courtroom, he confesses to his sins, destroying his

reputation to spare his wife her unjust punishment. The Judge then conflicted as no one would

throw away their entire reputation for a false cause. They bring Elizabeth out to see if John was

telling the truth and lies to keep John’s reputation. The Judge decides that John was lying and

puts him into prison, John no longer believing that he will be able to come out on top in the court

anymore.

Finally, at the end of the story, after being locked away for several months, after

everything he has gone through, he still keeps his honesty. Later on, the judges attempt to get a

testimony from him, but he can only give out lies about being with the devil. Even though John

lets the judges write his declaration, he refuses to let them display it because he finds out what

they want to do with it (Miller, 2016, p. 144). His decision would lead to his death, but John

decided to stay truthful regardless.

While John has done unjust acts, one can tell that he pays the price for it, and he has

become a changed man by the end of the story. His hate for humanity is ever-present. However,

he shows his caring for his friends and family, and it allows us to believe his act was selfless. His

selfless act of tearing the confessions against his friends shows that this man has a heart. When

one is willing to sacrifice their own life for the benefit of others, that may only be considered a

selfless act.

Work Cited
- Miller, A. (2016). The Crucible. New York, New York: Penguin Books