“For good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together… But all organization is and must be grounded in exclusion and prohibition, just as two objects cannot occupy the same space”. (13, Miller) Based on good intent, the chaos that ensues the Salem Witchcraft Trials is a result of twisted human motives, and blurs the line between those “truly, religiously faithful” and “remorseless, shameless liars”. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the characterization of John Proctor to represent his realization in the true evil in flawed, human logic and the good lying in strong, spiritual faith. For example, Proctor voices his opinion
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For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud- God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!” (Miller) Here John Proctor admits his fear of correcting the issues in the flawed, logical justice system and shuns himself as well as others who do not have courage to boldly stand up for against the cause as frauds. Being responsible for the death of the innocent out of cowardliness, he finds himself and everyone else an equal to the devil and those who had died denying and defying the system as true the “saints”. “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is fraud. I am not that man. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am not good man”. (137, Miller) Proctor, knowing he confessed while following the system and unlike the others had true faith by being in denial as a true Christian would, would not die honorably. But if he is hanged, he would be viewed as a saint, which is hypocrisy and a sin to him. “Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls”. (138, Miller) “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (144-145, Miller) The soul is their spiritual goodness. What Proctor represents is that although those who had been innocently
For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud- God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!” (Miller) Here John Proctor admits his fear of correcting the issues in the flawed, logical justice system and shuns himself as well as others who do not have courage to boldly stand up for against the cause as frauds. Being responsible for the death of the innocent out of cowardliness, he finds himself and everyone else an equal to the devil and those who had died denying and defying the system as true the “saints”. “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is fraud. I am not that man. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am not good man”. (137, Miller) Proctor, knowing he confessed while following the system and unlike the others had true faith by being in denial as a true Christian would, would not die honorably. But if he is hanged, he would be viewed as a saint, which is hypocrisy and a sin to him. “Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls”. (138, Miller) “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (144-145, Miller) The soul is their spiritual goodness. What Proctor represents is that although those who had been innocently