Examples Of John Proctor's Honor In The Crucible

He first tells Elizabeth that he is thinking about confessing. When asked what he is going to do he says “I want my life” and “I will have my life” which means he will confess (Miller 208). He would be willing to lie and confess to save his life then to tell the truth and be hanged. After he signs his name however he realizes the example he is making and says that he is “no Sarah Good or Tituba he is John Proctor” because they have lied to save themselves just as he was about to do (Miller 211). He rips up the paper and says he sees “some shred of goodness” in himself as he does the right thing and will be hanged for it (Miller 212).

Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before” (Miller 1352). He is ultimately giving up his confession even though he knows it is not the right thing to do. A previous break to Proctor’s Christianity beliefs is when he commits adultery; however, instead of standing up for himself he gives into the court’s desire. When John Proctor confesses, his actions prove a huge weakness John Proctor has. However, his actions of confessing result in a strength.

He trusts himself and goes with his gut even when everyone else is telling him something different. When he is first accused, everyone told him to confess, even though he didn’t do the crime. But he goes with his gut and doesn’t listen to them. Then, when John Proctor is in jail, they try and get him to sign a paper saying he confesses. He signs it, but won’t give it back.

In Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", John Proctor is our passive protagonist as he tries to save his wife and others that were accused of witchcraft. Unfortunately, his attempt was in vain and his evidence had backfired. His knowledge did not stop the witch trials because of his self-respect, and the children's high reputations, and Abigail's tactful nature. John Proctor valued his self-respect because it made him confident and helped him stand up for what he believed in. John proctor's name was synonymous with honor and integrity and was most respected in Salem.

The reason Proctor gives is that he wants to be remembered as a man who is honest and royal to his wife, and gets annoyed when the judge asks for a signature for confession. He insists what he has said is enough, and even so they would not let him off the hook (A. Miller). John Proctor, in fact, is strong willed enough to ignore herd mentality that pressures him to his last moments, but even his decision wavers between confess and not to confess, showing how powerful herd mentality is. That is from those who are accused, there are also the by-standers, like the judges, villagers, and etcetera. Nobody stands up for the accused directly in the entire play, even if they feel really guilty about all the people dying, they still did not step up and say something (Sundstrand).

Proctor has a little issue with verbally saying that he is a witch because a verbal statement is between him and his God. But when Judge Danforth wants to post it on the church door, Proctor refuses to sign the document. The difference between verbally saying something as to putting it in writing is huge. By stating he is a witch, John Proctor feels that saying this lie verbally, he will view himself

John Proctor here is reinstating that he wants to continue if he has his name and if Danforth and the court cannot provide that to him he does not know how he could possibly go on. Based on the quote John’s quality of life would eventually prove to be dreary if he did confess as he would feel like he no longer had a soul. Although John knew it would be a risk for him to confess his wife helped convince him that life was worth living, but it’s his own choice. Elizabeth sorrowfully states to John “Do what you will. But let none be your judge.

Shortly after ripping the confession up Proctor states “You have made you magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not Enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs” (Miller 144). Proctor is displaying the self-respect he has obtained from doing the moral thing. This quote also indicates Proctor’s personal change of attitude towards himself. For example, he was hard on himself earlier in the play, comparing himself with dust and later he claims he sees good in

The Crucible Argumentative Essay John Proctor should have risked taking a stand against a system that was against his beliefs. In the past, people have sacrificed themselves for what they believed in. As seen in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor defies the court, and it results in his execution. John Proctor should have risked taking the stand, because he maintained his reputation as a good man and role model.

The dictionary defines a crucible as a place or occasion of severe tests or trials. During the late seventeenth century, many places around the world began to have an increased fear of the supernatural. Witch trials sparked by these fears brought great pressure upon all involved. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the people of Salem were placed under a lot of pressure as the witch trials were occurring. With pressure mounting, three men from the story each struggled in a different manner; Parris becoming fearful and cowardly, Hale undergoing a change in character, and Proctor taking a stand for what he believed to be right.

The first impressive characteristic of John Proctor is his bravery. Speaking out against the “afflicted” girls in the way he did could cause serious question of him as a person. From the court’s standpoint John could be seen as directly opposing the court, which would have him jailed, or could even have him be accused of witchcraft. Also, he would have had to have known that Abigail Williams would have immediately accused him of being a witch once he spoke out against them. However, that did not stop him from delivering the truth to the court.

John Proctor never settles for keeping his opinion or what he thinks is right to himself. He knows telling Danforth that he is guilty for adultery won’t help his cause but it shows his desperation to win the case in order protect his wife, Elizabeth. John Proctor was sick and tired of watching Abigail win with a lie, in this case he spoke the truth knowing his consequences. John states, “Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!

Moreover, he would be justifying the existence of witches, which would further galvanize future spurious accusations. In addition, Proctor claimed, “I have three children - how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?” This quote insinuates that if he were to lie to his kids, they would not admire him as a role model and instead feel ashamed of him. Clearly, Proctor’s honor contributed to the ultimate decision of ripping up the signed

John Proctor is well liked and respected in the Puritan community and is trusted by everyone. In Act I, on page 1269, It says “Proctor, respected and even feared in Salem, has come to regard himself as a kind of fraud.” This quote shows that John has a lot to lose if his secret gets out because everyone looks up to him. Although John is a great man, his tragic flaw is his pride.

John has the conscience of an honest man even though he has committed a severe sin, which he hides, adultery. Because of this his name is tainted, making the reader doubt the goodness in him. When Proctor reveals the truth in court, we are surprised because he has confessed knowing it will blacken his name, and he has done this in order to save his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. Because of this we are able to see that Proctor bears responsibility for what has occurred. However when he confesses, Abigail turns against him and accuses Proctor of being a witch.