The Importance of NonConformity The Crucible

A detailed Summary of The Importance of NonConformity The Crucible

Thomas Paine once wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." He of course was speaking of the difficulty the colonists faced during the Revolutionary war. However, we see that throughout history there have been numerous times when man has been faced with great dilemmas, the outcomes of which have had an effect on society as a whole. Those who lived in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, were faced with such similar struggles. Some of these battles were outwardly fought and others were the, sometimes more brutal, internal battles, in which the victor had a strong effect on the whole Salem community. The outcomes of the inner conflicts found in the characters of this novel, were based upon whether or not the players chose to submit to the pressures put upon them by a society that was rooted in the strict control of all aspects of life. Throughout the play Jon Proctor, in looking out for he and his wife's welfare, his soul and name, and the town, makes decisions which are of important consequence to himself and to the greater community. In The Crucible, we see through John Proctor's various motivations, Arthur Miller's underlying theme of the difficulty and importance for one to be an indivi

Throughout Act four, John's concern for his soul and name are factors that influence whether or not he will choose to give up his individuality and live a lie. Principally, Proctor, thinking of confessing to witch craft says, " My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before." John is willing to give his " weighty" declaration because he thinks that he is not a 'good' man and feels that dying for the cause of being 'good' is therefore pretence. His confession would cause him to validate the witch trials and to remain in a society that will no longer view him as a distinct person. In addition, the difficulty John Proctor has when he is confessing to witch craft is shown when he says, "I think it is honest, I think so; I am no saint." Proctor's uncertainty about giving his admission shows how great the battle within him must be, while he is submitting himself to live a lie. Proctor is having difficulty deciding if he will testify to this fabrication that will tear away his individuality as it destroys his name. Likewise, Proctor refuses to sign a document admitting to his correspondence with the devil. As Danforth asks him why, John answers with a cry, " Because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life . . . How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" John realizes that if he conforms he will be left without his name and that without his name he is like any other man in Salem and no longer the individual he prided himself in being. Also, he begins to think about the effects his name as a confessor will have on the community. Proctor, as he is dealing with the concerns for his soul and name, conforms to a certain point and then begins to question the importance he lays on being an individual.

Emerson once said, "A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he becomes a conformist." In The Crucible, Proctor fights within himself to keep his individuality in a community where non-conformance can bring severe consequences. Proctor realizes, through his different motivations, the importance for one to be true to oneself and to the ideas that you believe in, i

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Approximate Word count = 1486
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English