Essay/Term paper: The crucible: the characters in the crucible

Essay, term paper, research paper:  The Crucible

The Crucible: The Characters in The Crucible


The Crucible was a story with a wide range of caractors. Not only
appearance wise but, with different personalities a together. Many caracteurs in
this play thought differently from one and other. That is why this book had a
few "twists and turns" to the story. In my profiles, I will display many
different caracteurs and theirs' different mentality.

First I will start with Mr. John Proctor, a.k.a. "shoulder checker".
John Proctor had always things on his mind. People were always on his mind. John
Proctor was always looking out for his mistakes or errors, not because he was
picky, but his ennemis and competion were. John Proctor was always think out the
final result of a situation, like when Betty was "spritually repossed" early in
the book (Act I, pages 6-12). John Proctor did not care about as Betty as much
as the final opinion that the town would have on Proctor's "white and pure" name.


Much can be said about Proctor's giving and understanding, but I don't
want to waste that line. Proctor's carring and willing to give people thinks was
not his best feature. Proctor was always thing about him, himself and no one
else, except the final outcome of the whole situation. Take for exaple the
fellow that wanted to get some tree off Proctor's land. Even though Proctor had
probably no knowlage of the trees on his land, he still wanted a peice of the
pie. Proctor wanted always money. He was money hungry and cheap.

Basicly Proctor was a would be if he could be. Proctor was always trying
to fit into the high class crowd, flash his powere and money on the middle class
or poorer people, but when Proctor was around people like Hale (Hale was a well
educated and he stood up for things kind of guy) Proctor would try to act up to
his class but he couldn't really beacause inside he really knew he couldn't.

Then the one life ending, marriage destroying fault that Proctor would
ever do was he sleept with Abigail. That action right there would kill Proctor
not physically (yet) but mentally threw the novel it honted him and later .. his
wife. The perfect exemple was when John Proctor's wife, Elizabeth and Mr.
Proctor were approched by Hale. John Proctor was asked if he could name the
seven commandents (Act ][, page #65). John Proctor (with Elizabeth by his side)
was able to name them all except the most crusal one, for John Proctor, Adultery.
With Elizabeth knowing all the information before hand, she was totally
convinced that John Proctor was indeed guilty of comitting the sin of Adultry
with Abigail Williams.

I think John Proctor did change towards the end of the play because of
he mood and situtation that he was in. At the end (Act ]I[) John Proctor was
being excuted and he trully did love his wife. His moods and heart changed to
tell Elizabeth how he really felt about her. John really did love her. John
Proctor's aditude really did change form me, myself and I, to who is in need the
most besides me.

The next caracteur I will talk about is Abigail Williams. Abigail was
the sour apple of the bunch in this book, she really could not help it because
of the it is hard to be a sweet apple when the roots and tree you came form was
sour. Abigail was an orphan and all. She used her body to get things or people
she wanted to.

Even though Abigail was almost an adult, by many she was still basicly
treeted like a child, to be seen but not to be heerd. This was the aditude in
all the town for children.

I think Abigail's most interresting feature is that she lies through
thick and thin. At the end of Act ]I[ Abigail (under oth) was lying threw her
teeth because he wanted to save her own butt. The point is Abigail dosn't care
to whom she is lying. It could be a judge or even Proctor it really didn't make
a difference to her as long as she was able to save herself. The way some times
she lies was quite entertainning. In Act ]I[, Abigail thought there was a bird
on the ceilling and was doing a good job convincing every one else that there
was to. The reason Abigail did this again was to make everyone beleive that she
was physco.

Abigail was able many times to influence the court. She was able to have
her ways with Danforth and Jugde Hathrone and the court (but many times the
court was question who has the power).

I guess Abigail has many split personalities. In act number one, Abigail
goes threw many emotional changes and moods. Abigail goes from violent to "peace
keeping" when she holds Mercy back (page 16). Then Abibail goes to quiet then
mad (page 17). Then Abigail goes to flurts with Proctor (On page 19).. I found
Abigail making many thearts to people but never did go threw with them. Like
when Betty (In act one) was sleeping for a long time, Abigail would threaten her
saying "Get up or I'll beat you Betty" (page 15). I guess coming from an
unstable background, people can except some weirdness from a few individuals

To put Abigail in a nutshell she is selfish, brutal, she has split
personalities and she is only concerned about herself.

I didn't see any changes in Abigail in the play. I think I can prove my
point by showing what down the road Abigail became. Abigail became a Prostitute
in Boston (Page 140). With an outcome like that, I think Abigail really didn't
change much ever!

Hale will be my last caracteur profile but certainly not the least
caractor at all. Hale was the one out of them all I could fellow and understand
what he was doing threw out the play.

Hale was an educated man and he would do what he beleived. Mr. Hale is a
man that is going into his forties. Since he was a man very highly educated,
many people called him in for his expertice on witchcraft. I think that Hale had
the most logical approches to any situations than any other caracteur. Hale
would ague to everyone or anyone. Take the final act when Hale would battle it
out with Danforth over many of the courts decisions. Hale would be able to
analyse the sittuation that the court was not the most stertious system and Hale
tried to change the courts decitions when Danforth was trying to reclame power
of his own court (ironical isn't it?).

I saw many verbal threats to Hale. The funny thing about all these
threest is that either was were going to be affected physically now or
spriatually later. But Hale was never scared of these threest.

Hale was always always under the influence of God. The reason or event
would be because of God. Still, Hale was a friend to many people like Proctor.
When the summons come for Proctor (at the end of Act ]I[), Proctor would yell to
the officers tht they should depart from his house. Hale tried to clam down Mr.
Proctor but once a snowball start to roll, it is hard to freeze it in it's
tracks. But again it's like thoses efforts that made Hale who he is.

I fell that all theses caractuers made a big difference in this book (as
I described above). My reason apon picking them varies from the protagonist
(Proctor) to anognist (Abigail) to the man I felt kept the ball moving with his
knowladge (Hale).

I enjoyed reading this book because of the turning of events, the plot
that led up to the climax. The finish was touching. For a guy to say it was
touching, it was a good ending. I think the best title or subtitle for this book
came from an album from a group called Colletive Soul. Their title from the
album and the perfect title for this book: Hints, Lies and Alligations