John Proctor Golden Candlesticks Analysis

“It does, sir, it does; and it tells me that a minister may pray to God without he have golden candlesticks upon the altar..it hurt my prayer sir, it hurt my prayer.”(1277) John Proctor does not like having Reverend Parris as minister of salem. Proctor openly says that he does not like how Parris seems to only care about money and his own well being and reputation as seen with the golden candlesticks. However, this does not hide that fact that John Proctor regularly skips church and leads people to question his devoutness to the Puritan lifestyle. Proctor dislikes Parris because he is only self interested in that all he cares about is his money and his well being. Although others see this as well, they also believe that Proctor is not a devout puritan. John Proctor does not like Reverend Parris. One reason for this is that he only seems to care about his money and himself. The golden candlesticks are a good example of how Parris is only interested in his money and possessions. Proctor says “But Parris

The questioning of Proctor’s devoutness perhaps stems from the fact that only three out of four of his children were baptized. Reverend Hale finds this fact odd and further questions Proctor. “Do you know your commandments?...and you sir?” (1277). Proctor is able to name names all but one of the commandments which, ironically, was “Adultery, John.” (1278). Perhaps Hale questioned whether the couple knew their commandments in order to evaluate whether they were true Puritans. After all, Proctor was only in church “Twenty-six time in seventeen month, sir.” (1276). Furthermore Proctor certainly does not appear to be a devout puritan when he says: “I say-God is dead!” (1315). Although Proctor may have been correct in his allegations against the “witches” in salem; Proctor was not a devout