Characteristics Of John In The Crucible

To be a hero in any shape or form, one must possess certain attributes which prove their morality, courage, and altruism. However, individuals exist who attempt to be heroic or are perceived to be heroic when in reality, they do not meet these aforementioned qualifications. In works of literature, such characters are referred to as antiheroes, a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor is the protagonist who has been revered as a seasoned hero, being praised for his integrity, rationality in the middle of insanity, and true ethics. Yet, John’s explicit flaws makes one doubt his supposed righteousness. John’s overwhelming faults, his hypocrisy, his lack

For example, John openly discusses his disdain for Parris, expressing the Reverend’s avarice despite his oath of poverty as a clergyman. John is clearly critical of those weighed by hypocrisy, but he himself is such a person. Miller continues his characterization of John saying, “He is a sinner, a sinner not only against the moral fashion of the time, but against his own vision of decent conduct.” (45). The severity of John’s pretense is understood by the reader when his affair with Abigail is revealed. Abigail Williams, the object of his temptation, is a seventeen year old girl who was under his employment at the time of their sin. Although committing lechery with anyone would have been scornful, but it is especially odious because he decides to lay with Abigail. Mason clarifies this idea, stating, “...in moral and everyday terms, Proctor is the adult and the employer, so he bore the responsibility of keeping the relationship under control. It seems clear that he knows that. Indeed, a central thread in Proctor's character is his keen sense of his own transgression; ...” (Mason 4). John takes advantage of Abigail, even if she does consent. He was in a position of power and should have never let this happen. Taking John’s logically nature into account, it is blatant that he is aware of the obscene status of his deed. Since John is conscious to this, his constant condescending aura to Parris and the

Their heads were smashed by Indians while Abigail, at a presumably young age, watched. This undeniably has caused some sort of psychopathy to have emerged in Abigail’s psyche. She has all the symptoms of psychopathy, being manipulative, apathetic, and ruthless. She wishes to rid herself of Elizabeth so that her and John can be together and this on its own signifies some sort of mental delusion, but the measures that Abigail takes to make this realization point to her true insanity. Abigail not only tries to make a charm to kill Goody Proctor, but when this attempt on her life fails, she convinces the Salem court that Elizabeth is a witch. She first accuses Elizabeth, but then sees that an accusation will not be enough. In order to prove Elizabeth’s witchery, Abigail notices Mary Warren making a poppet, strategically places a needle in it. She concludes that it will end up in the Proctor home and serve as evidence of Elizabeth practicing witchcraft on Abigail. Finally, to give reason for the court to search the Proctor home, stabs herself with a needle to assert the poppet’s voodoo doll