Reverend Parris Greed Quotes

Reverend Parris’s main motivation is to preserve his reputation at any cost, whether by unbelievable behavior or through falsehood. For example, when Reverend Parris discovers the girls dancing in the forest, he hastily warns Abigail that his reputation is in jeopardy by conveying, “Now look you, child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” (10). Since Abigail is family, Parris has no tolerance when it comes to his reputation so he willingly enforces discipline to maintain his status. Also, as a minister, his role is

Reverend Samuel Parris is motivated to sustain his reputation because he took years to build up his name. Some of the folks already see him as unfit as the reverend. Having the assumption that there are sinful practices taking place under his roof, he, at first, denies the involvement of witchcraft with the odd behavior Betty displays. However, when a majority of the townspeople believe in the involvement of witchery. He does not want his name and reputation to be tarnished due to witchcraft, so he plays along and supports Betty’s and Abigail’s accusations. He uses Tituba as a scapegoat to divert the suspicion towards him. Parris threatens to whip Tituba if she does not confess that she has dealings with the Devil, and pushes her to her breaking point. Parris is motivated to uphold his reputation and tries to divert the possible blame and suspicion towards him to

Reverend Parris is a minister in the town of Salem. As a very static character, his characteristics, for the most part, remain the same. In the

In the third stage is Reverend Parris, who is controlled by his reputation. In the beginning, he is afraid of what Betty’s illness, should it be related to “unnatural causes” will do to his repute. Salem had had more ministers in a few years than he thought it should have, and he did not want to be put out like the others. When Danforth comes to town, Parris becomes one of his peers, and is closely related to Abigail Williams, the girl who has been selected by God to purge Salem of its evils, and this strokes Parris’ ego. At the end of the play, Parris is no longer so concerned with what others think of him as he is worried that Proctor’s death will be on his conscience.

Parris is a glutton and a menace to society. Although it was Reverend Hale that sparked curiosity of others with thoughts of supernatural taboos, it was Reverend Parris that ignited the witchcraft flames and killed innocent people, and wanted nothing more than to protect his reputation . His internal conflicts were the need to have wealth, power and the respect of everyone. His external conflicts was his niece keeping up with the portrayal of being ‘tormented’ by the devil and his reputation being intact at the end of it all, but with

The fear of being affiliated with or even being a witch and the shame and dishonor that comes along with it. Reverend Parris is a very paranoid but victimizing character misguided by fear. His daughter Betty becomes ill and he is afraid it’s regarding witchcraft, however he is not fearful for her health. He is concerned with keeping his reputation and position as the Church’s minister. This selfishness is not only a characteristic Parris demonstrates but other people in the town as well. A lot of characters of characters share this interest in saving their own skin under the influence of fear and shame. This will sooner than later contribute to the downfall of the town as a whole. Another reactive character includes Ann Putnam. Another paranoid woman in the town, ready to throw around accusations regardless of how logical or faulty they are. This may be due to the loss of 7 of her 8 children she’s given birth to. On account of this, she is convinced they were murdered by supernatural means, particularly witchcraft. For example she is immediately use Tituba as a scapegoat and blame her for the death of her babies. Other characters within Salem, not only Parris and Ann, will use any opportunity they can to assure their own safety and to save face in front of others. Their lack of consideration for the wellbeing of others will get others into danger and cause a load of anarchy and

Reverend Parris is Salem’s Minister of the church. Parris is greedy by asking for things he don’t need also he thinks he’s above a lot of other people. Parris helps push the story forward by finding the girls dancing in the woods. Parris also pushes it forward when he is part of the court and is accusing John Proctor for trying to undermine the court.

His first concern, upon discovering his daughter and niece's questionable activities in the woods, is not for their welfare but for the impact their actions might have on his social standing. "I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character," he laments to Abigail (Miller, Act 1). Parris's fear of scandal is not rooted in a moral objection to witchcraft, but in the threat it poses to his hard-won position in Salem. Parris's concern for his material wealth is closely linked to his obsession with reputation, serving as a tangible measure of his social standing and success. His discussions about his salary, the deed to the parsonage, and demands for golden candlesticks instead of pewter ones for the church reveal a man deeply concerned with outward signs of prosperity and respect.

He is a reverend in the local church and according to Proctor in Act II he “preach nothin’ but golden candlesticks until he had them” (Miller 1242). Reverend Parris was well respected in the community; many looked up to him because he was the reverend. He was supposed to live up to the standard of leadership in the Christian faith, and although he may have fooled some into believing his lies, others like Proctor, saw right through him. He is a very greedy man, and he does not follow what he preaches. In other words, Reverend Parris liked to talk the talk but not walk the walk. He once complained in Act I that he was “not used to the poverty of 60 pounds per year” (Miller 1227). One of the key values in the Christian faith is that the love of money leads to corruption, and that many times money can become an idol and take the place of God. Reverend Parris preached on this doctrine of faith, but failed to follow it himself. He even lied in Act III directly to Judge Hawthorne when questioned about discovering the girls dancing in the woods. Earlier in the play, Parris admits to seeing the girls naked but now in court he lies and testifies against it. Reverend Parris may seem good and holy because he is a reverend, but when taking a deeper look at his heart, he is corrupt just like

“I can only say, sir, that i never found any of them naked, and this man is..(Miller 218).” At this point of the play parris is lying about seeing the girls dancing in the woods naked. Parris knows the truth about abigail and how she is lying about the witchcraft and the dancing. This shows how lying is not the best policy because he could have told the truth and all those people would’ve be spared their lives, but instead he lies to avoid charges of

He first catches the girls dancing in the woods, which is what starts all of the problems. Parris says to Abigail, “And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest?” (Miller 139). Parris is shocked about what he had seen, and he is unsure on whether to believe abigail, that it was just for sport, or to believe himself, that there was more to it than just dancing in the forest. Knowing that the girls were dancing in the forest, Parris then shares this with a small portion of the town which creates people to panic and spread the news to the rest of the town. In addition, Parris shares part of the blame because he points his finger at everyone but himself just so he can save his reputation in the town. By doing so, it causes innocent people to get accused of things that they didn't do, like when he swears that he didn't see anyone naked in the woods, but before, he swore he did. He also stuck up for the girls in court when they were being accused of faking being bewitched because if they were actually faking it, then Abigail and Betty, his daughter and niece, would be liars which would make him look bad, saying that he raised them. By only caring about what people thought of him, it just hurt him and the trials in a negative way. Therefore Parris shares a large chunk of the blame for

Reverend Parris’ fear of losing his job provokes him to cry witch. Reverend Parris’ daughter feigns to be in a coma. When the doctor bade Susanna tell Reverend Parris that he “might look to unnatural things for the cause of it” (9), he denies that possibility because he fears that rumors of witchcraft under his roof would help his “many enemies” (10) to drive him from his

For example, Reverend Parris was concerned about his reputation, which caused him to listen to the doctor, and allow Hale to check Betty for signs of witchery. Reverend Parris did this to take the blame of witchcraft away from him. Mr. Parris knew if he called Mr. Hale to investigate witchcraft, then the people of Salem would not think he practices witchcraft. Reverend Parris’s plan did allow

Furthermore, in Act II, it is revealed that John Proctor attended mass scarcely because he hated Reverend Parris so much. His materialism (as proven with the gold candlesticks) was something that greatly bothered the town of Salem. In Act IV, Reverend Parris is humbled. Having been robbed by Abigail and her friend, Mercy Lewis, he is almost penniless, and thereby modest and sorrowful. He does not talk with the same biting command as he used to.

Parris’s concern to keep his name clean and his respect intact leads him to create the beginning of the witchcraft hysteria. Parris doesn’t want Abigail to do something crazy or something that is frowned upon because if they do something bad then his good reputation would be lost and all of his respect and power would be too. Parris is overly strict with Abigail and Betty for this reason, leading them to fear him. One example of how Abigail feared Parris is shown when they were discussing what happened in the woods. Abigail says, “But we never conjured spirits.” Parris furiously replies, “Then why can she not move herself since midnight? This child is desperate! It must come out- my enemies will bring it out. Let me know what you done, Abigail do you know I have many enemies?” (Act I pg. 10). Abigail and Betty know that if Parris finds out they did something to damage his reputation they would also be damaging his power. Parris would be absolutely furious if that happened. When Parris inquired about dancing in the woods Abigail made up a story because she fears Parris so much and she didn’t want to get in trouble.