Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said: “Childhood is the sleep of reason.” When we consider the childhoods of Michal and Katurian Katurian of The Pillowman, Abigail Williams of The Crucible, and Emily Bas-Thornton of A High Wind in Jamaica, reason and sense are truly asleep. When these four characters finally arrive at the pearly gates, the two that find themselves welcomed into heaven are Katurian of The Pillowman and Abigail Williams of The Crucible. The first new addition to heaven is Katurian. He has been accepted into heaven because of his willingness to take part of the blame for the death of the children that his brother killed. Also because of Katurian’s desire to save his work even at the expense of his life as seen when he says: “You had me for killing Michal, as soon as you found the third child you’d have me for killing my parents. I thought that if I tied myself to all of it, like you wanted me to, at least I’d be able to save my stories…” (99). Katurian is worthy of heaven because he does what he thinks is best even at his own expense.
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She is not without offence, but there are things about Abigail that make her worthy of heaven. For example, she offered to sound like a villain to the town when she says: “Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it—and I’ll be whipped if I must be. But they’re speaking of witch-craft. Betty’s not witched” (9). Abigail was willing to sacrifice her public reputation to help her uncle deny witchcraft and to protect Betty. Abigail sounds genuinely upset that her uncle thinks that she hurt Betty when she says: “I would never hurt Betty. I love her dearly” (9). These things alone are not enough to get Abigail into heaven. Truthfully, she only makes it into heaven over Michal Katurian or Emily Bas-Thornton because they are far more horrible than she
She is not without offence, but there are things about Abigail that make her worthy of heaven. For example, she offered to sound like a villain to the town when she says: “Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it—and I’ll be whipped if I must be. But they’re speaking of witch-craft. Betty’s not witched” (9). Abigail was willing to sacrifice her public reputation to help her uncle deny witchcraft and to protect Betty. Abigail sounds genuinely upset that her uncle thinks that she hurt Betty when she says: “I would never hurt Betty. I love her dearly” (9). These things alone are not enough to get Abigail into heaven. Truthfully, she only makes it into heaven over Michal Katurian or Emily Bas-Thornton because they are far more horrible than she