What Is Abigail Williams Influence On The Crucible

If a young girl in today's society was forced to grow up living with a materialistic narcissist, would society expect her to be perfect? Would society understand her need for attention and her cravings to be loved? Would society understand the cause of her insecurities? Unfortunately, in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the Puritan society does all but acknowledge and accept a young girl’s difficult upbringing. Abigail Williams was forced to be raised by her uncle, Reverend Parris. Her uncle was not only a corrupt and unworthy religious authority, but also a man filled with greed and a thirst for power. Anyone growing up with their father figure having the inability to love anything other than money would be negatively influenced in some way.

These readers obviously don't understand the hardships young Abigail faced and the people responsible for her trials. Not only did growing up with her wicked and greedy uncle influence her, but Abigail was also influenced by her love for an older man. This man, John Proctor, not only committed the unforgivable crime of adultery, but also took advantage of a young girl. Abigail lived at the Proctor residence to learn the basics of motherhood and running a family. During this time, John Proctor took advantage of Abigail’s need for love. In what society is it permitted for a grown man to take advantage of a young, broken child? With the emotional abuse and parental neglect from the two most important people in her life, Abigail’s lifelong desires and ambitions grasped at the opportunity for love and attention. Her crude uncle nearly forced the first cry out of her mouth. With the ultimatums and threats from Proctor added to this, helpless Abigail merely cried witchery out of fear. Abigail was no monster, only a naive and scared girl, abused by the two men she craved love

Although she was successful in not obsessing over money and herself, she was, like any young girl, left with an emptiness. Abigail was stuck with an uncle who had “no interest in children” (Miller 134). In the Puritan religion, family is very important, yet the reverend of Salem had no interest in his own. He could not show his niece love and affection, but he was a “man of God”. Although Abigail, luckily, was not influenced by his narcissistic ways, he was still her only parental example. Reverend Parris “cut a villainous path” (Miller 134) which created Abigail's perception of right and wrong. Parents are responsible for teaching children good from evil. When a parent sets an example that committing evil wrongdoings is acceptable, how is a child supposed to act? Was it Abigail's fault she had a vague idea of the differences between right and wrong? Abigail's mentor, father figure, church leader forced her to crave love from others and taught her that doing wrong, evil things was permitted in the Puritan