Fear, something we all have. Behind fear is a basic human instinct; self-preservation, the will to live that makes us pause before hurling ourselves over the edge into the unknown. It is something that has the power to push us past our breaking point yet manages to keep us alive. Fear is a good motivator as evidenced by the characters in Arthur Miller’s Play, “The Crucible”. At times, fear motivates people to behave irrationally. Personal fears cause some characters in Arthur Miller’s play, ”The Crucible” to cry witch. “fear is a great motivator and it captures our negative imagination; we are petrified of losing control”(Fear and the George Zimmerman trial) Fear causes people to defend their personal needs and use their power to harm others. …show more content…
Fear often leads us to make rash, harmful mistakes. For example, it was fear of getting in trouble for the dancing in the woods that caused the girls to start accusing people. It was fear of being whipped or hanged that made Tituba "confess" to being a witch and name other women who had joined her. It was fear of the girls turning on her and accusing her of being a witch that led Mary Warren to withdraw her testimony against them and accuse John Proctor of being a "devil's man." It was fear of the unknown that led Giles Corey to first talk to Hales about his wife reading "strange books," a confession that would lead her down the road to being arrested. It was fear of Abby's fierce nature and threats that led the girls to keep up their chain of accusations and abuse at the hands of supposed witches. It was fear of criticism and being rejected by his own people that prompted Parris to go along with the judges so much, even allowing them in arresting and accusing people. It was fear of the unknown medical reasons that took her babies that led Mrs. Putnam to seek out answers in the underworld, and ultimately accuse Goody Nurse of murder. It was fear of being revealed as a lecher that kept John Proctor from fighting against Abby and the courts for so long. It was fear of ruining her and her husband's reputation that led to Elizabeth Proctor lying about her husband's