John Proctor's Reputation In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller preserving one’s reputation was important to many of the story’s characters. Three of the characters that found preserving their reputation important were John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Mary Warren. John Proctor was a well respected man in Salem. The town’s people thought highly of him. When he was accused of witchery he denied it. Arthur Miler, the author of the book The Crucible writes, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” John got arrested and thrown in jail. He was told that if he confessed he could live, but if he did not confess he would hang. His wife was allowed to talk to him once, as to try and convince him to confess to the crime of which he was accused, witchery. John decided to confess, but in doing so didn’t realize that his confession would have to be written and signed, then

“My name, he want my name. ‘I’ll murder you,’ he says, ‘if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court,’ he says!” (Miller). In the courtroom Mary was going to testify, saying that the other girls were just pretending to be seeing spirits but she was too terrified of what Abigail might do to her is she revealed the truth that she froze up. She claimed that John was possesing her to send her spirit out to attack the other girls. Mary pushed the blame of the alleged spirit in the courtroom onto Proctor. “I cannot charge murder on Abigail...She’ll kill me for saying that!” (Miller). Mary was affraid of what Abigail might do to her so she lied to the judge and to the townspeople. Rather than exposing the truth and possibly saving more lives Mary just pushed the blame to someone else to protect