Every single action that a person commits leads to either a positive or a negative consequence. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a book filled with mistakes and the outcomes of those mistakes, and this piece of literature provides readers with an opportunity to analyze some causes and effects. Every character in the crucible created a situation that gave place for a negative consequence to take place. This led him or her to endeavor to protect the virtue of their reputation. Three most significant characters, whose endeavors are majorly emphasized, are Abigail Williams (lies to protect herself), John Proctor (sacrifices himself for his wife, by telling the truth), and Danforth (kills others who, everyone believes, committed …show more content…
He does not harm anyone in the process, unlike Abigail. Instead, John only endangers himself. John has made only a few mistakes: he has committed the sin of lechery and deceived his wife. Although these mistakes seem minor, John endeavors much to conceal them. A quote that can be analyzed to reveal John’s wrong-doings is “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me. I lusted… But it is a whore’s vengeance…” (Miller 110). This quote excellently explains the major mistake John Proctor created. He had an illegitimate relationship with Abigail and he is revealing that to officials. It surprisingly shows John Proctor giving up his efforts in protecting his pride. Unlike Abigail, he is regretting his mistake and the fact that he tried to conceal it. John Proctor initially struggled to save himself and now is trying to save his wife Elizabeth’s reputation. For John, Elizabeth and he are one, if Elizabeth’s dignity has been demolished, then so has his. As a result, Proctor sacrifices his pride for his wife’s. This shows the extent he will go to save his reputation. He will reveal his mistakes, to preserve Elizabeth’s’ reputation. John Proctor’s mistakes ultimately resulted in his death, a negative consequence, unlike Abigail’s outcome, but the death gave Proctor a good name. In death, he died as a good man, while despite being alive; Abigail lived as a fraud, and a liar. On page 143, the conversation between Danforth and John provides insight on Proctor’s endeavor, it states:
“PROCTOR (with a cry of his whole soul): Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my