Freedom - Crucible
To most people in the US freedom is an accepted concept that we take for granted. Freedom was once described by Arthur Miller as: "Guilt is un-freedom". In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller the character John Proctor goes through a great deal of trouble to achieve that freedom we take for granted. John's struggle with guilt is the primary reason for his trouble with gaining freedom. John's guilt comes from his affair with Abigail, his need for forgiveness from his wife and his need to keep his name. This book is about the Salem witch trials. Abigail was absolutely obsessed with John and would stop at nothing to gain him physically and mentally. Whenever she sees him she seems to fall in a deep lust. When Abigail approaches, she immediately starts in, romancing him, then John tells her it is over. She then tells them that the whole witchcraft thing is a just a game. "Oh Posh. We were dancin' in the woods last night and my uncle leaped in on us. She [Betty Parris] took fright, is all." (pg.21 - Abigail). She has told him this because of her longing of him and this just shows that the witch trials were a pretense. John then tells her that she needs to leave him alone and that it is over. "Abby, put your mind you'll
In this section of the book where John and Elizabeth have their last conversation John says that he cannot lie about being a witch, for he is not. He therefore will be forced to hang. "I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not a man. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before."(pg.136 - John) This shows the fact that he is innocent of being a witch and that he is torn about admitting a lie. Also during his conversation with Elizabeth, she frees him of guilt for the lechery he committed. "John, I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house I kept." (Pg.137. Elizabeth) When she tells him this she clears him of any guilt he might have. Their discussion leads to the table where John has a moment of weakness. In John's moment of weakness he changes his mind numerous times about confessing and at one point gets confused about which is the right thing to do. "Then who will judge me? God in heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor? I think it is honest, I think so; I am no saint. Let Rebecca go like a saint; for me it is fraud." (Pg. 138 - John) Proctor is saying that he won't lie, but if Goody nurse does she will be like a saint. He then asks Elizabeth what she would do if she were in the same situation. "Would you give them such a lie? Say it. Would you ever give them this? You could not; if tongs of fire were singeing you, you would not! It is evil. Good then-it
Some common words found in the essay are:
John Proctor, Tituba Sarah, John Abigail, Elizabeth Nothing's, Hale John, Pg137 Elizabeth, Betty Parris, John John, John Elizabeth, Arthur Miller, john proctor, arthur miller, elizabeth conversation, witch trials, god name, guilt lechery, saint fraud, john tells, freedom granted, sign confession,
Approximate Word count = 1080
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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