Fear is a feeling that most see as a negative force which pushes you back. However, I believe it is on the contrary. Although some may say fear is not harmful, fear is harmful due to the reason where many false accusations caused by fear lead to a massacre of deaths. some may argue that fear can be beneficial in certain circumstances. In "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, fear is a strong theme throughout the entire story. The characters in the story are induced by fear, which leads to irrational behavior and in the end just to negative consequences. For that reason, fear is harmful as it can lead to the destruction of individual people and communities.
In the story of the crucible, fear is the prevalent cause of the events that unfold. The fear of being accused of witchcraft causes the characters to start to turn on each other and start accusing innocent people, including sometimes close ones. For example, Abigail falsely accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft because she fears being punished for her actions. Abigail even then calls her “a bitter woman, a lying,
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Proctor was afraid of being exposed as an adulterer, which caused him to keep his affair with Abigail Williams a secret to avoid any consequences. He thought being honest was the true way, saying things like "Do that which is good, and no harm will come to thee." Although he was an adulterer, he was a good and honest man. Unfortunately, the fear still led to his arrest and execution. Additionally, the fear of the unknown and the supernatural causes the people in the crucible to believe in the girl’s lies and accusations. For example, In the story Abigail said, “I saw Sarah Good with the devil!” People are afraid of what they do not understand. They believed her even if Abigail said it out of spite. The fear of the unknowing and the Devil/supernatural makes the court continue the trials and the executions of innocent