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Imperfect Characters In The Crucible

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Is there anyone in the World perfect? No, of course everyone is partly flawed. If there are perfect ones, they should be princesses or princes in the fairytale, and no one thinks they actually exist. Because anyone can’t be perfect and everyone makes mistakes and has their own flaws, drawbacks and insecurities. In the Crucible, Arthur Miller shows two imperfect characters – John Proctor and Abigail Williams. The two imperfect characters affect the Crucible in many ways- they affect the plot, tone, and the reader of the book. First, imperfect characters affect the plot and tone. In the beginning of the Crucible, Abigail Williams and other girls drink blood and dance in the forest, naked. Because even though John proctor’s and Abigail Williams …show more content…

On the other hand, John Proctor gets an offer to save himself by providing false confession to public. He struggles between his religious integrity and his reputation. This struggling shows his imperfection, but, by the end of the play, he feels shame for his fellow prisoners, who are brave to die for their integrities. He says, “For now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but enough to keep it from such dogs.” (Miller IV.133), tearing the paper he signs. He rather chooses to die for his integrity than providing false confession. He was controlled by other people before, but this was the time that he got to control his life by himself. Elizabeth says at the end of the play, responding to Hale’s asking to convince Proctor to confess: “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (Miller IV.134) The whole play is led by Abigail and Proctor. Tones are also led by their acts and emotions. Second, imperfection affect the reader, because imperfection gives reality to characters. Readers find it easy to relate with someone who is partly flawed, makes mistakes and is sometimes controlled by emotions. Because that’s what makes them human to reader. Readers feel the sense of similarity and reality when they see such characters. Readers have always been attracted to read books where they can find the characters are flawed, or even have a really dark memory of

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1. Miller, Arther. The Crucible. New York: Penguin, 2003. Print.

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