The Crucible Journal Entries Essay

Journal Entry 1, Question 1 People who “mind other people’s business” can often times be a real pain, but in other cases, should be thanked and commended. In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, a combination of both of these types of characters appear. For example, characters like John Proctor help the common good by not minding his own business, and characters like Abigail fight against the common good. John Proctor helps fight for the common good when his wife, Elizabeth Proctor is arrested. Instead of laying low to prevent getting involved with the insanity in Salem and rekindling love for his mistress Abigail, he goes to court to fight for his wife. When questioned by Danforth on whether he is pinning the blame on Abigale, he responds coolly,

Many of the characters get overly worked up in the possibility of evil spirits and such ideas that they forget the other half of their belief that tells them that there is a God looking down upon them and protecting them. It is human nature to stress about the bad to the point where all good is blocked out, even if it overpowers the bad. It is very possible that people would bend their own wills through witchcraft out of fear. It is human nature to try to pick the lesser of two evils, in this society, witchcraft is the ultimate evil, and even though it is just an illusion, the citizens are frightened of the repercussions of not admitting to witchcraft and being hung. This can be found in the instance where Tituba is found guilty. When threatened with hanging if she doesn’t confess, her will was bent through witchcraft, but not actual witchcraft, just the fear of it and says “No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir” (Miller 44). Wills are being bent in this play left and right by witchcraft, but it’s not in the way the townsfolk think it is. They assume an outside force is literally changing their mind for them, but it is really just the fear of being tried, found guilty, and hung for witchcraft that forces them to confess to a crime they didn’t do. Either way they would be seen as a witch, but at least if they confess, they’ll be alive. That single fear is what drives every single person who pleads guilty to do