Death is almost always perceived in such a pessimistic manner because some people believe life has much more opportunity to be content. This type of belief is shown in The Crucible through Reverent Hale’s eyes when he desperately attempts to convince Elizabeth Proctor to tell her husband to choose life over a death sentence of lechery, stating that “life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it” (Miller 122). While this statement may be true when talking about a person living in a more accepting society, the characters in The Crucible unfortunately live in a society where people mostly care about their devotion to God, and in the meantime, live off their neighbors’ drama just to criticize their
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However, when he realizes he has to sign a written confession that will be posted on a church building, he then gets defensive and refuses to sign, saying that “God does not need [his] name nailed upon the church” and “God knows how black [his] sins are” (Miller 132). He also tells the court that he will “blacken all of [his friends and family] when [the confession] is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence” (Miller 133). Throughout the play, John Proctor feels that he has already given up so much for his family and friends to have peace without any person from the community thinking wrong of them. At this moment, Proctor knows that if he chooses to sign this paper for his family, the whole community of Salem will remind him every day that he has done wrong to God. Therefore, as Judge Danforth is asking Proctor why he will not sign the confession, Proctor, “with a cry of his whole soul” yells out “I have given you my soul; leave me my name” (Miller 134). The reader now knows that Proctor has wanted to die because he wanted to keep his name to himself instead of blacken it for Salem to see. He believes that life is not worth living if he is not going to have the freedom others receive due to their faith to God. It is ironic however, because it is as if Proctor is closest to God at this moment because he has truly “given his soul” to protect the people he cares for. Proctor has made his decision to die with his name intact, and his wife lets him be, saying, “He have his goodness now, God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 135). Death is the place where he truly will be
However, when he realizes he has to sign a written confession that will be posted on a church building, he then gets defensive and refuses to sign, saying that “God does not need [his] name nailed upon the church” and “God knows how black [his] sins are” (Miller 132). He also tells the court that he will “blacken all of [his friends and family] when [the confession] is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence” (Miller 133). Throughout the play, John Proctor feels that he has already given up so much for his family and friends to have peace without any person from the community thinking wrong of them. At this moment, Proctor knows that if he chooses to sign this paper for his family, the whole community of Salem will remind him every day that he has done wrong to God. Therefore, as Judge Danforth is asking Proctor why he will not sign the confession, Proctor, “with a cry of his whole soul” yells out “I have given you my soul; leave me my name” (Miller 134). The reader now knows that Proctor has wanted to die because he wanted to keep his name to himself instead of blacken it for Salem to see. He believes that life is not worth living if he is not going to have the freedom others receive due to their faith to God. It is ironic however, because it is as if Proctor is closest to God at this moment because he has truly “given his soul” to protect the people he cares for. Proctor has made his decision to die with his name intact, and his wife lets him be, saying, “He have his goodness now, God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 135). Death is the place where he truly will be