Proctor Essay

Proctor takes great pride in having an admirable reputation and, like his name, longs to keep it respectable. It took Proctor his whole life to gain the trust of the people in Salem and build

While some may say that Proctor’s final act was an act of honor, it was truly a show of his excessive

Proctor puts his commitment to truth above all else, even though he knows he could survive by lying, he would rather tell the truth and save what little he has left of his name. Terry Otten states that John Proctor is “clearly a divided character, driven by the counter demands of “impulse” and “imperative”” (3). Throughout the play Proctor is constantly fighting the battle within himself and with the world. He knows he is not a perfect man, but yet strives to be as pure as he can be. In his last moments he chooses to not give in to the easy way out, but to be true to his beliefs and standards. Proctor says,” You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs” (Beers and Odell 1272). John comes to terms with himself and forgives himself for his past, and in doing this gives him the strength to do what is

Proctor has many character traits that contribute to him being so difficult to figure out. His crime of lechery against his wife and his willingness to save her both are intermixed in a tangle of

as his beliefs. This paper will discuss Proctor's change in character and his struggle with getting to

Proctor is a humble farmer in the small town he lives in. He is a man of high stature, a common man. Among all common men they all share similar qualities: they try to provide for their family, mind their own business, and they make mistakes. In this particular case, Proctor does make some very big mistakes. Proctor may seem to the reader as a hero, as the way he defends his point of view and tries to fight off temptations and evils around him, but he is not

Proctors the entire visit for any form of evidence that he could associate with the traits of

understanding of the point Proctor is trying to get across (The Crucible). Also, in the movie,

John Proctor, to me, is a hero. Proctor’s flaws make him human. Proctor realizes his downfall and tries to fix his reputation and by standing up to society. He is good natured with fellow villagers such as Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and others. John Proctor is an independent person.

John Proctor is portrayed throughout the play to be a man who has high moral values that he must abide by. He

Proctor is intent with himself, and therefor was soft spoken with no need for attention from the

Proctoring exam means that someone will watch over or supervise in the duration of the exam.

The reader can infer that Proctor is a highly respected, and even feared individual in Salem. He speaks his mind, and strikes down any malevolence. For this, Proctor has a very good reputation in the town. He maintains this good name by being very immersed in town issues, but being detached when not needed. Unlike many of the other characters, Proctor lives away from the town center. This is symbolic of his stance in conflicts and his opinion of Salem’s leadership. When all the leaders of Salem erupt into a frenzy about the possible issue of witchcraft, Proctor silences the chaos by asking if anyone can “speak one minute without we (Salem citizens) land in Hell again?” (30). Later in the scene, Proctors goes even further to point out how the current ministry is broken by saying, “I mean it solemnly...I like not the smell of this ‘authority’” (31). His distrustfulness of nature is what makes him the leading protagonist against the many ensuing problems so deeply ingrained into Salem’s population. Proctor is not only unwilling to join the current ministry due to its blind leader, but also the first character to see the irrationality of

To begin with, Proctor was considered a strong person in the community, and he was respected for it. He was a handsome, hard-working, and

John Proctor had various strengths and weaknesses. Some of his strengths and greatest qualities were things like being a strong family man, being hardworking, he values his integrity, and he’s very pious. However, just like every person, Proctor has his flaws. One of his most notable flaws was his affair with Abagail, which is what got him into the most trouble with the Salem Witch Trials, ultimately leading him to make decisions based on guilt and shame.