The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Nicknamed “The Georgia Peach”, Ty Cobb once said, “The base paths belonged to me,

the runner. The rules gave me the right. I always went into a bag full speed, feet first. I had sharp

spikes on my shoes. If the baseman stood where he had no business to be and got hurt, that was

his fault.” Cobb believes of how he would be free of all blame, all guilt, and all faults for injuring

a baseman if he did indeed substantially wound the baseman. In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible,

one’s fault is one of the most controversial viewpoints in the whole, entire play. Kindred to

Cobb’s quote, characters like Reverend Parris, Abigail, and John Proctor are established in an

environment filled with imperfections, in which produces personality issues and a lack of

conduct towards one another. As a result, many are unable to acknowledge their own mistakes

and the harm they have caused. As a result, those same faults can be reflected in a modern-day

society perspective. In The Crucible, the flaws of Reverend Parris, Abigail, and John Proctor are

used in a symbolic fashion to illustrate the massive personalistic breakdown in modern day

society.

At the commencement of the play, Reverend Parris is the first of numerous characters

introduced. As shown throughout the play, Parris is selfish, greed, and dishonest. For instance,

when Parris scorns Abigail, he says, “Now tell me true, Abigail. And I pray you feel the weight

of truth upon you, for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.

Whatever abomination you have done. Give me all of it now, for I dare not be taken unaware

when I go before them down there” (Miller 1.11). At first, one may feel sorrow for Parris for

being the center piec...

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...rucible, the many faults exhibited by the

characters: Reverend Parris, Abigail, John Proctor were used in a symbolic degree to display the

personality issues and how these characteristics are destructive to society as a whole. From Parris,

we see an egoistic, rapacious, and crooked sleaze whose main goal is to prolong the witch trials

and to denounce those he despises. On the other hand, Abigail is seen as a manipulative,

vengeful, and ruthless sleazeball. While John Proctor is seen as an egocentric, lecherous, and

obstinate person. The lesson learned here is simple. Even if modifying one’s behavior looks

difficult – in the long run, it would be most beneficial. Just take a look at the consequently

collapses of Parris, Abigail, and Proctor.

Works Cited

Work Citied

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible (Penguin Classics). London: Penguin Classics, 2003