The Crucible: Elizabeth Proctor And Abigail Williams

The way a character grows can leave a lasting impact on a reader. Characters have both heroic uprisings and dramatic downfalls that affect the development of the text. In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the characters Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams display how their development impacts the reader. Elizabeth grows while Abigail does not, as displayed through their reaction to the affair, how they face their problems, and how they perceive opinions of others. First, Elizabeth shows growth through how she reacts to the affair her husband has. Her development is shown when she forgives her husband before he is to be hanged. Elizabeth says, “Forgive me, forgive me, John — I never knew such goodness in the world” (127). Here, Elizabeth forgives

Arthur Miller shows this when Elizabeth willingly gives herself up to be arrested. She exclaims, “John — I think I must go with them … Help Mr. Proctor as you were his daughter you owe me that” (73). In this quote, Elizabeth allows the court to arrest her so she can solve the problem. She shows growth by allowing the jailers to arrest her so she can try to clear her name. It is daunting to face a court by yourself, but Elizabeth develops the courage to do so. Her bravery allows her to face her problems head-on so she can move past them and continue with her life. On the other hand, Abigail is stagnant as she avoids her problems. This stagnation is shown when Parris reveals that Abigail has run away from Salem after accusing many people of witchcraft. Parris says, “There is news, sir, that the court — the court must reckon with. My niece, sir, my niece — I believe she has vanished” (116). Here, the reader learns that Abigail has run away from Salem. This passage reveals Abigail's cowardly ways as she avoids the problem. Abigail is too scared to face the issues that she caused. By avoiding her problems, Abigail cannot grow and learn from her