John Procter's Motivation In The Crucible

Motivation is defined as “the reason one has for acting or behaving in a certain way.” Puritans were a group whom were opposed to Catholic teaching, whom wanted to became pure and purify others. Also, their virtues, values, and principles were seem as secularized, and others seem to notice them as strict-Christians. As a result, their motivation were to become pure themselves and purify others. In the “Crucible,” John Procter is motivated to rip up his signed confessions because of his personal reputation, anger, pride and also Religious belief.

Fist and foremost, John Procter tears up his signed confession because of his pride in himself. Originally, John Procter was not going to sign the confession since he did not even practice or participate in witchcraft. He had respect for himself and family, that he would not allow others to judge him for an action that he did not even perform. In the “Crucible” John Procter has not lied about witchcraft, and has not practiced witchcraft but is thought of as guilty. He knows that if signs the confession and the confession is nailed to the exterior doors of the Church he would always be looked upon as a person whom practiced

witchcraft. His pride therefore would not allow him to be looked upon as a “witchcraft.”
Secondly, John Procter is a looked upon as a good and fine man, in the town as Salem.
He is respectable man, whom has a lot of anger because he knows the whole truth.

John Procter tears up the confessions because he is angry that court officials, and the girls had allowed this outrage to continue in the community. As a respectable man and father, he knows that innocent people has lot their lives because of the false testimony given by Abigail Warren and the other girls. John Procter is angry at Marry Warren because she changed her deposition because she was judged because she had been doing the correct thing. John Procter, is angry that the girls would let others die because they lied and see no wrong in it. Most importantly, John Procter is angry in the actions of the court, since the courts in Salem are to be free or error. Procter tearing up the confession can also be seen as

anger.
Thirdly, John Procter is motivated to tear up his confessions because of his personal pride for his children. He signs the confession, but tears it because he does not want the confessions to be nailed to the door where the townspeople can see it. Of the most important townspeople, he does not want his children to see his name on the door. Procter, a respectable man is afraid of letting his children down or for them to know their father was practicing witchcraft and was excommunicated from the Church. Procter does not want his children to criticize him or be ashamed of their father. If this were to happen, John Procter would not be at peace with himself.
We can conclude, Procter wanted to do what was right for himself, family and townspeople. Three factors that led to John Procter tearing the confession was his personal pride for his children, his angry, and pride in himself. He would not himself fail, allow his children to know that their father was a failure, and would be overcome with angry and then would proceed to tear the confession up. We as an audience can see who Procter was a leader for his family and his town, but also a leader for his faith.