How Does Arthur Miller Use Reputation In The Crucible

Reputation in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

Reputation is something we all struggle to uphold. As humans, we want people to be thinking about us. Some just want attention, it doesn’t have to be specifically negative or positive; attention is often good enough. For many, their reputation is built through the attention they receive, whether it be for a girl’s promiscuity or a boy’s gentlemen behavior. Either way, reputation taunts all of us, whether we seem or act like we care. This is displayed very clearly in the play, THE CRUCIBLE. Many of the characters throughout the play are very concerned with upholding their reputation. One specific character who is very concerned with the ‘popular vote’ is Reverend Parris. He has, or at least should …show more content…
This basically says in today’s age, he would be ‘self-conscious.’ A little too self-conscious if you ask me! When Arthur Miller gives an overview of Parris’ character, he explains in detail how Parris was not a well-liked Reverend. He explains Parris was very worried about what the people were thinking of him. Parris was well aware of his place in the community—not everyone adored him as their Salem reverend. He took this to heart, he seemed to be a very meticulous character in the play, considering his need for people to like him and the fact that not many did. As John Proctor said, “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it.” This gives a clear representation that Reverend Parris’ upstanding reputation is delicate in Salem, …show more content…
At the end of the play, in court, Parris lies to the court, after he has already said how important the truth is. This situation can be seen as him giving into the hysteria of the whole community, but that would be no excuse for the Reverend. He is supposed to be the one to stay away from that. In Act I we find Parris really just wants to preserve his job, but by the end, he is so pathetically scrambling for excuses that he acts in a way that would immediately get him fired. (His action being the lies to the court.) Proctor says in Act III, “Mr. Parris discovered them himself in the dead of night! There’s the “child” he is!” Parris reacts very quickly and responds, speaking his defense to Danforth, “I can only say, sir, that I never found any of them naked, and this man is…” This directly contradicts what Parris claimed at the beginning when he was trying to get Abigail to confess. He told her he saw a girl naked in the forest, but she denied. Parris is clearly going to extremes to save his reputation. If only Reverend Parris realized he doesn’t have the wonderful reputation he strives to maintain. Many people in the community don’t even enjoy his sermons, let alone his advice. Reverend Parris is the epitome of an overly self-conscious, prideful, unsure