Essay On The Crucible Reputation

People think that teenagers are rude, reckless, and untruthful, and it is obvious that they are under a lot of pressure to be “cool” or to look “stylish.” They have to have the new iPhone or need to wear a certain styles of clothing. Their reputation means everything to them and is a large part of everyday life. The fear of losing reputation or trying to repair a reputation can dictate how people act or behave. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the characters care so much about their reputation that it determines how they act and the decisions they make. The loss of reputation is an underlying factor in how the characters act and the choices they make in The Crucible. A good reputation can save one, and a bad reputation can damn another. John Proctor fears losing his reputation and does everything in his power to do the save it. For example, “John’s concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigail’s true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer” (Lindsay). From this we can infer that, if he had been able to speak up and tell the court the truth about Abigail, he might have been able to save many lives. But, because of his hesitation, the witch trials go on for longer than need be. …show more content…
He is also so proud of his reputation that it clouds his judgment. Danforth refuses to pardon the people or postpone their trials. Danforth said, “Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died until now” (Applebee 233). He waves off the requests of Hale to postpone the trials, because he feels that by doing so, it would raise his reputation into question. Even though 19 people were wrongfully accused of witchcraft, he didn’t blink an eye because his reputation remains untarnished. Another character who feels the same way is Abigail