The Crucible has many different themes. One of the major themes in “The Crucible” is preserving one’s reputation. Three Characters who show this theme are John Proctor, Reverend Parris, and Governor Danforth. John Proctor has a good reputation which he wants to keep in tact. This causes events that will get him hung at the end of the play. One of these events is when he was reluctant to tell the court the truth about Abigail. This would damage his reputation because he is married to Elizabeth and the Bible condemns adultery. Another event is when he refused to hand over his signed confession to Danforth. Proctor states “You are the high court , your word is good enough! Tell them I confessed myself; say that John Proctor broke his knees and wept like a woman; say what you will, but my name cannot-” (Page 1231, Act 4). …show more content…
He also has a good reputation and will do anything to keep it that way. Parris shows many examples of this theme in the play. Parris states “ Thomas, Thomas I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you- you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption” (Page 1132, Act 1). In this quote he says that if witchcraft were discovered at his house his reputation in the town would be ruined. He also cares more about his reputation than his own daughter in this scene. Parris will even lie and have other people lie to keep his reputation good. Parris also tried to get John Proctor to confess [even though it would have been a lie] so that it would prove that there actually were witches and thus falsely save his