Reputation In The Crucible

Reputation can shape someone into who they are and how they behave. Importantly, reputation defines their morals, but also their integrity. Our reputations reflect on how others view us by our everyday actions, then they can assume on what type of character we display. A person is born with one’s own reputation and must build from there. In Arthur Miller’s well-known play, the Crucible, the theme of reputation is most visible throughout Reverend Parris, Abigail Williams, and John Proctor’s actions.
Reverend Parris is one character who upholds a certain reputation in the town of Salem. Parris was perceived as a cold-hearted man, he was extremely selfish and unjust. He strongly states multiple times words such as, “They will ruin me with it!” He is only worried about the outcome of how his name will look. The town of Salem rarely had anything positive to say about the man. Reverend Parris believed he was being persecuted everywhere he went, and he was always self-conscious. He continually went out of his way to bring people down in the town if they did not attend a church service however, since he was involved in the church, he …show more content…
As word spreads around, Abigail is seen as a child who has been “dancing with the devil.” The people assume that she had been apart of witchcraft, and she starts to affect not only herself but also her uncle’s reputation. To add to these frowned upon activities, she also was discharged from the Proctor’s service because of inappropriate relationships with John Proctor. Elizabeth spreads the news around town and Abigail tries to claim, “there be no blush about my name.” Throughout the play, she likes to keep her reputation intact and she would rather throw others under the bus than have her own name “blackened.” She tried to keep her reputation well rounded, but mostly just kept adding to it in a negative way by her own