The Crucible Reputation Analysis

In the first few acts of the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, it is apparent early on that many of the characters rely heavily on keeping a good reputation. Even though this is true, it is important to remember that in this setting accusations were abundant and persecution was very plausible. While most if not all the citizens of Salem were worried about having a good name, some were much more concerned than others.
One of the characters to be anxious regarding his good name was the town priest, Mr. Parris. In the beginning of the play when his daughter Betty is said to be bed ridden due to a witch attack, he denies every notion of the possibility. It is imperative to Parris that his holy home does not house evil spirits and that

his daughter, the daughter of a pure and holy man, could not be struck down in such a way. To make matters worse from his perspective, Puritans believed that if something bad were to happen to someone, they must have done something to provoke it. This would mean that his own daughter had committed an act that displeased God; he could not have his fellow townspeople believing that someone close to him would go against the word of God. Even after the court forms and the trials begin, Parris still feels the need to defend himself, but this time in the opposite direction. During Act 3, Parris and his kin are accused of lying about everything they have said about witches. At this point, Parris must keep the town believing that they would not lie and that he did not see and hear what the other men know he did. He denies all the allegations against him in order to save what was left of his reputation.
Even though Mr. Proctor does not like Mr. Parris, he has the same need to have a good reputation. Mr. Proctor commits a crime so awful that it even goes against the 10 Commandments. This crime was adultery, or having an affair while being married. He keeps this secret for the majority of the play because he must to be seen as a good man among his friends and peers. During the third act when the husbands arrive at the courthouse to free their wives, Proctor admits to the judge and bystanders that he has committed adultery. After this, he pleads with the judge to believe him, reasoning that a man would never ruin his own name in lie. Not every instance where Proctor defended his character was between him and someone else. Another example would be during his fight with his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. During this conflict, he is defending himself to her, but there is more going on than this. Elizabeth makes a statement that she is no longer judging Proctor for his sins, but that he is judging himself. His reputation is so important to him that even in his own head he must keep up the pure image. He knows that he had an affair, and even that is too much for him.
It is obvious that the characters in this play were worried about how people saw them during this time period and situation. Whether the reason for defending their image was due to them committing a crime, or wanting to keep their social status, some characters would go t any lengths to protect their name, even if it involves lying. With the accusations and strict rules of their religion, it is not surprising that these citizens generally had motivation to keep a good reputation.