Reputation And Integrity In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

1078 Words5 Pages

The reputation of an individual affects the way one is seen in a community and can negatively affect one’s life, which can result in difficult decisions that can define a person’s life. In the town of Salem, reputation and integrity defined who and what a person will be in the given future. The integrity of a person refers more to the moral side of one’s life, whereas the reputation is the physical side of one’s life. Both determine who an individual is going to be, not who they actually are, which refers to one’s integrity. There are not a lot of specific events concerning the reputation and integrity of someone in modern times, but a good reputation in today’s times is how you communicate and thrive within a community; whether that be in …show more content…

John Proctor often exhibits this behavior the most and, in turn, leads him to make life or death decisions, especially towards the end of the play, that affects other people’s lives as well. John believes that he has finally won the game by spoiling his name and telling every one of authority in the small town of Salem that he has cheated on Elizabeth. Based on the evidence in the play, it is clear that John is being selfish in this in that he never told anyone of the cheating before and he kept it to himself until the end. Elizabeth lies for the first time to keep her husbands "good name," and as an effect ruined everything and created mass hysteria again. John states, “I have known her, sir. I have known her.” (Miller 110). John Proctor tries to insult Abby before having to reveal his sin of lechery in the last attempt to cover himself up. Proctor continuously tries to convince his audience of his earnestness which, in return, makes him seem distrustful, which is seen consistently throughout The Crucible (Liston). John Proctor is seen as a humble man with a simple farming job, keeping his reputation clean throughout The Crucible, and still until the end his actions can be perceived as unprecedented and selfish with him putting his reputation first above