The Crucible Dishonesty Quotes

Written by Arthur Miller, the Crucible is a reading filled with many significant and important quotes. One excerpt expresses the hidden dishonesty and deceit within the Puritan society. It says, “There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires” (Miller 28). At this part in the play, Mrs. Ann Putnam is having a dispute with Rebecca Nurse over the reasoning for her many miscarriages. Unlike Mrs. Putnam, Rebecca has been granted with plenty of children making her quite envious over Rebecca. She tries to suggest that maybe the Devil helped her have so many kids. This quote is therefore used by Mrs. Putnam to express her religious knowledge in order to help explain about this mysterious and puzzling event that has been

occurring in their quaint village recently. Her claim does not only dig into the meaning behind her argument with Rebecca, but also towards the witch hunts in Salem. “Wheels within wheels” basically states how there are inner workings and intentions built up over time in their society in which reflects throughout each character. Between secret motivations and selfish jealousies over the town, these are the true reasons behind the witchcraft and its trials. The "wheels" part of the quote could possibly be a biblical reference towards the Old Testament Hebrew Prophet, Ezekiel, and his vision of wheels within wheels. In comparison between Mrs. Anne Putnam’s quote and the Holy Scriptures, they both describe how God’s Word has plenty of levels and meanings. The wheels on the inside are what help produce the wheels on the outside. In order to understand the outside you need to depict the inner message. In my opinion, Mrs. Putnam is trying to say that there are many things going on in their Salem village behind closed doors. Although the people of Salem look God-fearing, they hide their sins within. This quote is well displayed In Act III, when Procter is begging and pleading to the court over his wife’s innocence. He drags Mary Warren into the chaotic mess as well for proof. As the wheels keep turning and complicating things more, Abigail of course convinces Mary to disregard Proctor’s plea in which creates more problems. With Mary then changing her mind and confessing to the court, Proctor looked even more suspicious now. As you can see, Abigail can reflect along to a ‘wheel within a wheel’. Her hidden and evil intentions from inside reflect on her outer actions towards others in order for her to get what she wants. A wheel nor fire can turn or ignite on its own. Something has to trigger these two objects and very similarly to the Salem Witch Trials, you can only stop them by changing the path from beginning to end. The rumors that sparked throughout the village grew bigger and bigger as the wheels kept turning and more character got involved. Over all, this quote said by Mrs. Anne Putnam reviles the background message of ‘wheels within wheels’ and ‘fire within fire’ towards her village in Salem. She reflects the story as a message filled with hidden secrets, sins, and revenge.

Another quote that is significant to the crucible is said by John Proctor who at the time is raising his voice at Mary Warner, his servant in the common room of his house.

This scene takes place in the end of Act II right after his wife, Elizabeth was arrested and sent to jail. With Proctor left helpless, he yells at his servant, “Now Hell and Heaven grapple on our backs, and all our old pretense is ripped away – make your peace! Peace. It is a providence, and no great change; we are only what we always were, but naked now. Aye, naked! And the wind, God’s icy wind, will blow”( Miller 80-81). As Proctor is screaming out of frustration in himself, he begins to understand his true self and what he and Mary must do for his wife not to die… tell the truth. In this quote, Proctor is specifically saying how the two concepts of heaven and hell have been a strain and burden on the people of Salem. The ‘pretension’ that Procter refers to in the play is the religious claim that no one sins or desires to sin. He knows that there is no way of avoiding his past sins now, nor the towns sins anymore. He wants not only himself, but the townspeople to embrace and face the reality of humanity. Everyone sins, and if they all forgave themselves for doing so, there would be no need for revenge, guilt, or shame. When speaking to Mary, “heaven and hell grapple at their backs” Proctor explains to her that whatever she decides to confess in the trials will reflect on her fate when she

dies. She must make her peace with them know before the wheels keep on turning towards chaos. He screams, shouts, and practically attacks her to the ground trying to make her confess about the lies. This shows how desperate he is for his wife’s life, and he knows that Mary’s confession is the true anecdote to the witch trials. “We were only what we always were, but naked now,” refers to the fact that nothing can be hidden forever such as his [John’s] secret affair with Abigail when Elizabeth was sick. In time, the people with know the full truth from start to end, discovering who the real witches were. “The icy winds blowing” refers to the fact that God will deliver his punishment and judge them. Proctor’s statement demonstrates very well that he could care less about what will happen to him or Mary in the end. Hell or Heaven, he will speak nothing but the truth to save the innocent accused. His wife will not die for him, but he will die for his wife.