“I have given you my soul, leave me my name!” states John Proctor in defense of his reputation. Proctor, a character in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, is perceived as a respectable man who can be controversial at times, but overall stands up for what he believes in. When faced with the rigorous choice of falsely confessing to witchcraft in order to save his life or staying quiet, Proctor surprises everyone in Salem with his contentious decision. Proctor ultimately decides to maintain his integrity above all else, which unfortunately costs him his life. Nevertheless, John Proctor made the right decision due to the fact that he preserved his integrity and moral beliefs, and he showed that dissenting is always possible through taking risks. …show more content…
When discussing his involvement with the church, Proctor expresses, “I have trouble enough without coming five miles to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation.” (6) This quote expresses that John was not satisfied with Parris’ teachings since they mostly focused on damnation instead of spiritual mentoring. He adds, “Can you speak one minute without us landing in hell again? I am sick of hell!” (6) Proctor exhibits characteristics that explicitly showcase his disregard for the church’s current ideologies. When defending his reasoning as to why he would not confess, Proctor states, “I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it is public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how bad my sins are! It is a good enough. "(39) By choosing to submit to his own sins instead of falsely confessing to witchcraft, John Proctor portrays a man who values his relationship with God more than with the corrupt church of