“Maybe our mistakes are what makes our fate.” -Carrie Bradshaw. Throughout reading The Crucible, flaws within each character, and the actions they made based upon those inner flaws, eventually lead to their “downfall”. John Proctor was a highly respected man in the community of Salem, as well as by himself. John Proctor presented himself in the guise of a happy and put together man, hiding his imperfections and weaknesses from the rest of the community at all costs. By the end of the play, John Proctor could no longer keep his sinful actions, such as his affair with Abigail Williams, as well as his inner drives and personality weaknesses, a secret from the suspicious town during the Salem Witch Trials. His guilt, pride, and unfaithfulness
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Although Elizabeth knew about his affair, the rest of Salem was clueless for the time being. He was known as a good and honest man, who had no public record to show otherwise. John refuses to go to the court and tell them of Abigail’s confession she had made to him in private about what happened in the woods because he would have to confess to being alone with the teenaged girl, inevitably leading to the discovery of their affair. Proctor was willing to do anything to keep his admirable reputation, even if it meant innocent lives such as Goody Nurse and Sarah Good would be lost and the blood be on his hands. In Act IV, John is being accused of witchcraft after his excess of punitive behavior. After he lies and signs his confession in vain, he is told it will be nailed on the church so that all of Salem will know that he confessed (Miller, Act IV). Upon this news, he crumples and tears it up, refusing to hand the paper over screaming, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!” (Miller, Act IV). This shows that John Proctor would rather be hung because he could not bring himself to live in a town where he would no longer be …show more content…
Because Proctor felt so guilty for his sinful actions, he distanced himself from his wife. He refused to turn in Abigail Williams to avoid His relationship with Abigail directly caused all of his flaws to be amplified--- making him a vulnerable target during a time where everyone was looking for someone to blame--- his wife's imprisonment, and his death. Deep down, John Proctor had a good heart with good intentions. His imperfections and actions overpowered his inner goodness, causing it to be negligible. Though some may argue that he died a heroic and good death, this is inadequate because he died to save himself from a life of shame. By the end of the play, he tried to turn his life around and proves he truly does love Elizabeth despite his previous actions, but the mistakes and choices Proctor made, in the end, decided his fate and led to his ultimate downfall and tragic
Although Elizabeth knew about his affair, the rest of Salem was clueless for the time being. He was known as a good and honest man, who had no public record to show otherwise. John refuses to go to the court and tell them of Abigail’s confession she had made to him in private about what happened in the woods because he would have to confess to being alone with the teenaged girl, inevitably leading to the discovery of their affair. Proctor was willing to do anything to keep his admirable reputation, even if it meant innocent lives such as Goody Nurse and Sarah Good would be lost and the blood be on his hands. In Act IV, John is being accused of witchcraft after his excess of punitive behavior. After he lies and signs his confession in vain, he is told it will be nailed on the church so that all of Salem will know that he confessed (Miller, Act IV). Upon this news, he crumples and tears it up, refusing to hand the paper over screaming, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!” (Miller, Act IV). This shows that John Proctor would rather be hung because he could not bring himself to live in a town where he would no longer be …show more content…
Because Proctor felt so guilty for his sinful actions, he distanced himself from his wife. He refused to turn in Abigail Williams to avoid His relationship with Abigail directly caused all of his flaws to be amplified--- making him a vulnerable target during a time where everyone was looking for someone to blame--- his wife's imprisonment, and his death. Deep down, John Proctor had a good heart with good intentions. His imperfections and actions overpowered his inner goodness, causing it to be negligible. Though some may argue that he died a heroic and good death, this is inadequate because he died to save himself from a life of shame. By the end of the play, he tried to turn his life around and proves he truly does love Elizabeth despite his previous actions, but the mistakes and choices Proctor made, in the end, decided his fate and led to his ultimate downfall and tragic