“The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.” Margaret Smith, an American politician, relates to what people had to go through on a daily basis during the Salem witch trials.
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, characters are confronted with a decision to stand for what is right or discredit others for their own good. In the beginning of the story, girls are accused for the use of witchcraft. This leads them to blame the accusation on others creating a chain reaction. This chain reaction causes the entire community to blame each other for their own safety. Innocent lives are taken by this mass hysteria. These extreme tests include life or death consequences in …show more content…
Danforth is scared that people will rebel, thinking that witches do not actually exist and that all of the trials are made up just to steal land. Danforth is becoming anxious about the people becoming more certain of the trials being false and that they are just a great hysteria. Danforth shouts in terror,“There is no rebellion in Andover!” (117). He is coming to realization that people are beginning to question the witch trials that have been taking place. His authority over people will be incorrigible if they start to rebel; so he does not tell anyone that he might have wrongly accused them. Realizing it would be harder to tell the truth because he may lose his power, Danforth tries to find a way that hanging those condemned is acceptable. Danforth pleads with Parris as to justify the hangings,“You misunderstood, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just.” (119). Danforth is looking for an excuse as to why the twelve still deserve to be hanged. He says that because they are already convicted that it would be unjust to let them off the hook. Justice Danforth decides to do wrong and not tell everyone that his convictions may be incorrect because people will revolt and he will lose his power. In conclusion, a crucible is given to John, Elizabeth, and Justice Danforth; John, however, is the only one that succeeds. John has the decision to protect his name and die or ruin it forever and live. Elizabeth needs to choose what to tell the court about the affair in order to protect her husband. And Danforth must decide to tell the truth about the twelve accused witches or lie for his own
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, characters are confronted with a decision to stand for what is right or discredit others for their own good. In the beginning of the story, girls are accused for the use of witchcraft. This leads them to blame the accusation on others creating a chain reaction. This chain reaction causes the entire community to blame each other for their own safety. Innocent lives are taken by this mass hysteria. These extreme tests include life or death consequences in …show more content…
Danforth is scared that people will rebel, thinking that witches do not actually exist and that all of the trials are made up just to steal land. Danforth is becoming anxious about the people becoming more certain of the trials being false and that they are just a great hysteria. Danforth shouts in terror,“There is no rebellion in Andover!” (117). He is coming to realization that people are beginning to question the witch trials that have been taking place. His authority over people will be incorrigible if they start to rebel; so he does not tell anyone that he might have wrongly accused them. Realizing it would be harder to tell the truth because he may lose his power, Danforth tries to find a way that hanging those condemned is acceptable. Danforth pleads with Parris as to justify the hangings,“You misunderstood, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just.” (119). Danforth is looking for an excuse as to why the twelve still deserve to be hanged. He says that because they are already convicted that it would be unjust to let them off the hook. Justice Danforth decides to do wrong and not tell everyone that his convictions may be incorrect because people will revolt and he will lose his power. In conclusion, a crucible is given to John, Elizabeth, and Justice Danforth; John, however, is the only one that succeeds. John has the decision to protect his name and die or ruin it forever and live. Elizabeth needs to choose what to tell the court about the affair in order to protect her husband. And Danforth must decide to tell the truth about the twelve accused witches or lie for his own