preview

How Does John Proctor Mature In The Crucible

Good Essays

John Proctor In life, everyone goes through something that changes who they are. In The Crucible, by Aurthur Miller, the reader gets a chance to meet John Proctor. He was a man who was quite sure of himself and was emotionally strong. Although John seemed like a trustworthy man he was not faithful to his wife Elizabeth. As the story of the play develops and the truth about his secret relationship with Abigail comes out to his wife he begins to get lost within his guilt. He no longer is a man who is strong and respectful but is now a sinner. By the end of the play he is motivated to change and he does. John Proctor was eaten up by his guilt but soon found his old strong and trustworthy self. John Proctor was a man who was well respected …show more content…

But as soon as Hawthrone tells Cheever to write his confession down John gets hesitant. A written confession has to be signed and John is in no position to sign his name away. By signing his confession he is giving his name a bad reputation. After all the confession will be posted on the church door for everyone in the village to see. Everything was a lie and it was hard for him to say such things. He tells Elizabeth, “It is hard to give such lies to dogs” (IV. 204). John says this to her because he does not want to tell lies to the court but he must so he can save Elizabeth's life, while hopefully still be able to keep his. Once the confession was done and written and was asked to sign, John refused. He thought there was no reason for him to sign his name. He thought his word and them as witnesses was enough but it was not. John knew that by signing his name everyone will judge him and that is not what he wants. John Proctor had a good name and he was not about to ruin it over such lies. With everyone getting impatient two choices were given to him: sign or be hanged. John signs it but once it is signed he takes the paper away form Danforth. When Danforth questions why he will not give it back John cries out, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!..” (IV. 207). John exposed the truth that his testimony was all lies. He couldn’t bare having his …show more content…

Yes, he committed the sin of adultery, but he confessed and proved his love to Elizabeth by going to court and confessing about the things Abigail had told him and even lying just so he can save his wife's life. He had proven himself to everyone and God that he was a good man, he had just lost his way for a while. Death should not have been his outcome. Even though he went against his morals and sinned he was still John Proctor. His name was safe and he had cleared his conscious of all the sinful things he had done. Elizabeth even says, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (IV. 208). She says this because she know John left with his good name. Nothing was left behind to be shamed of. John kept his name from being put to shame and he was able to reconnect with his old

Get Access