What Are The Human Flaws In The Crucible

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Every person has some kind of flaw; no one is completely perfect. One of humanity’s biggest flaws is that people would do anything to help themselves. I have been in many situations where I saved myself by sacrificing someone else. For example when my parents caught me coming home after curfew, I also ratted out my brother in order to lessen my punishment and take all the attention away from myself. Everyone is selfish in one way or another, always trying to do what is best for themselves. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials. He wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government discriminated communists. Envy, Selfishness, and lust for money/power demonstrate the flaws of humanity through the actions of Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Thomas Putnam. The human flaw of envy is demonstrated by several of Abigail Williams’s actions. When Abigail tries to talk to John Proctor about their affair, he denies that they have any emotional connection, so Abigail responds: “She [Elizabeth] is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold shiveling woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn you like a -” (Miller 1247). When the author writes “blackening my name” he conveys that Abigail believes that Elizabeth is trying to ruin …show more content…

Abigail Williams portrays the human flaw of envy. She tries to do anything to break up the relationship between John Proctor and his wife because she is so jealous. Reverend Parris conveys selfishness through his words and actions. The only thing he cares about is himself and how he is seen in the town. Finally, Thomas Putnam depicts the human flaw of lust for money and power by trying to spread the belief of witchcraft in order to buy more land from those who died. These flaws can turn us into people that we are not. Humans always do what is best for themselves even if that means sacrificing someone