Insight Through Experiences In Life

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Life can be separated into stages, and in these stages humans as characters can evolve and regress. Through life’s experiences, one can rarely remain the same.  In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, John and Elizabeth Proctor and Reverend Hale discover enlightenment in both a positive and negative manner.
       John Proctor learns that his sacrifice for the greater good is worth it.  He is described at the beginning of the play as being “a sinner not only against the moral fashion of the time, but against his own vision of decent conduct” (Miller 19).  He has made mistakes in the past and subtly suffers for them in the present. One mistake that deserves speculation is his affair with, the Reverend Parris’s niece, Abigail Williams.  Another significant mistake he made is (especially in a Puritan town) not being fond of Parris’s religious teachings; therefore, rarely finding himself at church.  The town is aware of his absence, but still shows him respect.  Later in act one of the play, a few of the townsfolk bring an assumption to Proctor’s attention.  They believe he is a leader of a faction against Parris and instead of denying it, he basically incriminates himself by saying “Why, then I must find it and join it.”  He realizes the trial has been taken too far when his wife, Elizabeth, is accused of witchery by Abigail and is arrested.  A transition in his behavior and personality begins to take place as he attempts to prove her freedom because she will not confess.  Proctor lets his personal flaws surface at the end of the play, when he confesses to witchery but also states that he did not see anyone else with the devil.  His stubborn attitude is a factor in his demise after he convinces himself that he deserves to die in an attempt to stop the unlawful killings.  Proctor discovers how to be humble without compromising all he stands for.
Elizabeth Proctor is shown how to forgive her husband and cope with the consequences.  She is portrayed at the start of the play as being cold towards John because of his infidelity.  Living in a time where infidelity is common, it is somewhat difficult to realize just how taboo this was.  At this point, the town knows it is a rumor, but not necessarily factual.  It is not known whether Elizabeth goes to church or not; however, being a Puritan woman, she must frown upon the fact that John does not.  Adding up all of John’s faults, Elizabeth probably concurs that she cannot ignore what he has done so she acts callously and untrustingly toward him.  She is accused of witchery by Abigail Williams, Elizabeth’s former employee, and is arrested.  In order to save one’s life, he must name another person whom he saw with the devil.  She, not succumbing to the hysteria, names no one.  Elizabeth is forced to trust John in order for him to prove her innocence, since she will not confess to witchery.  In a sudden change of fate, John is arrested for working with the devil.  He comes close to confessing, but refuses to have people able to see it everyday.  Governor Danforth tries to persuade him to sign the paper after he asks how it is different from a vocal confession.  “Because it is my name!  Because I cannot have another in my life!  Because I lie and sign myself to lies!  Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!  How may I live without my name?  I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (133) Elizabeth pleads with him to change his decision at first, but then realizes he must do what he feels is right.  Through
Reverend John Hale is faced with the knowledge of causing a massacre of innocent people.  He is “nearing forty, a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual.” (30).  He was called to shed some light on the troubles Salem was having.  In the introductory paragraph about Hale, it is stated that he had dealt with a “witch” before; however, the child who accused her was upset with how the “witch” was treating her.  This is most likely in small print, so to speak.  Hale’s belief in the unknown is not, and this was another reason it is he who was called.  With him he brings his many religious texts to help him rid Salem of the evil dwelling in it.  Hale came to their town rather happily because it is his first job away and he considers himself an expert in evil matters.  When the trials begin, he goes along with everyone’s general decision, but by the end of the trials, he realizes (with many others) that this is all nonsense.  Unfortunately, by this time, it is too late and people have already been executed.  He knows he has helped perpetuate the madness circulating Salem and decides to do everything in his power to prevent anymore suffering.  When John Proctor is arrested, be pleads with Elizabeth to do the same with John.  When she attempts and fails at getting him to confess, he continues to do everything he can to postpone the hangings.  In the end, it is Reverend Hale who has to live with everything he has done and could not compensate for.  He is forced to realize he knows virtually nothing about his faith and is left to ponder what direction to go with his mistakes.
The Crucible is a story of how a suppressed society can implode because of a group of foolish girls and how everyone (even the undeserving) suffers for it.  The many townsfolk grown and learn from the hysteria that occurs, but the price they paid for their enlightenment was great.
Because you all love to read what I write for school!

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