Reverend Hale In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Charlie Chaplin once said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” Conforming to the idea previously stated, The Crucible by Arthur Miller exhibits how the meaningless and self-preserving lies of one person can quickly bury or diminish the truth. The multiplying lies, which lead to as well as run through the brutal Salem Witch Trials, drive people like Reverend John Hale and Deputy Governor Danforth to experience personal crucibles. Under the harassment of the trials, Reverend Hale flips his mislead beliefs and devotes himself to saving the lives of convicted witches, revealing how valiant and sincere he is. Opposite to Hale, Deputy Governor Danforth continues to fight for the court and attempts

Prior to this crucible, Hale appears committed to his work although seeming weak. For example, Hale is quickly fooled by Abigail, a young girl claiming that her slave, Tituba, conjured the devil. Passionate about fighting the devil, Hale relies on the information being credible. Hale’s failure to confirm the evidence he is given leads him to question an innocent slave and ultimately reveals Hale’s susceptibility. Hale does not uphold these values throughout the book, as the witch trials lead to the revelation of his true core values. Hale’s new feelings of bravery and integrity push him to stand firmly against the court’s proceedings. As the court persists in listening to the obvious lies coming from the so-called victims, Hale exclaims, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (111). Hale exhibits that he is unafraid of the court and is willing to speak the truth. He understands that he must be courageous in the face of a much larger opponent. Furthermore, Reverend Hale assigns himself to preserving innocent lives. He councils the convicts, begging them to confess to witchcraft. Although the confessions are lies, Hale knows these people’s innocence is true. Ironically, lying is the only option to save truly faultless lives. Hale’s need to preserve the truth uncovers why he attempts to save these lives. As Reverend Hale’s old qualities melt away, a more upright and bold

Danforth conveys this same dishonesty before and after this crucible. Before undergoing this extreme heat and pressure, Danforth is unprincipled and dishonorable in judging the trials. With unprovable evidence and the unreliable words of young teenagers, Danforth sets innocent people to hang. He shows he has no regard for finding the truth and has no value for human life. After discovering the fraud of the trials and having gone through his crucible, Danforth exhibits how his qualities influence his decision making. When hearing evidence that enforces the innocence of the witchcraft convicts, Danforth responds, “I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement. Twelve are already executed; the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die this morning. Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part” (119). Danforth shows how his unjust and crooked values pursued his decision making. He additionally parades his egocentric and opportunistic qualities, stating that his self-image is of greater importance than the lives of innocent people.  Certainly, lies will continue to plague civilizations. Hale’s lies were used to preserve innocent victim’s lives, but there would be no need for these additional lies if the truth had been told initially. Although the truth may not always be desirable, people must learn to face reality and be honest. If people