Pride is not more worthy than an innocent life. Arthur Miller clearly illustrates that some of the characters, such as John Proctor, choose pride over their own lives. I’ve learned throughout the book the lack of limits characters will endure, to make sure their name is clear. I saw how often the “justice” in the book favored what it wanted to hear and thought was the truth. Ironically, the characters had to lie to feed into the “truth” that there are witches in Salem, in order to keep their own lives.
A character that I thought of as a very static one, was Reverend Parris. Throughout the book I saw the changes in his actions, most notably when Abigail ran away in Act 4. In Act 1, Parris was concerned about his reputation since we first learned about his character. (“ He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went.”) (pg.3) After Parris finds the girls in the forest and his daughter Betty in a deep sleep he is more concerned of his name than the well being of the girls. (“ ...but if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will ruin me with it.”) (pg.10) Out of all the assets Reverend Parris may own, I believe he thinks his own
…show more content…
(“I’d have you see some honesty in it. Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls.”) (pg.136) John Proctor, since the very beginning to the final end, has tried to keep his name pure. He even died for his name. When Hawthorne finds out that John wants to confess, he goes running down the hall shouting and chanting (“He will confess! Proctor will confess!”) (pg.138) I can argue that Proctor having to “confess” to save his own life is what made him lose his sanity. Knowing that other people like Rebecca aren't “confessing” made his fury burn worse which most likely just caused him to revoke signing the confession. (“I am no saint. Let Rebecca go like a saint; for me it is fraud!”)