Essay On A Good Name In The Crucible

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Good Name A proverb states that “A good name will shine forever.” In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, having a good name in society is important and has a different meaning to different characters. In The Crucible, many characters view having a good name as being well respected and correlate it with their reputation. When Reverend Parris discovers girls from Salem dancing in the forest, he finds his daughter, Betty, lying on the ground unconscious. Worried that his daughters illness was a result of witchcraft, he finds Abigail and asks her about the events that took place in the forest. The first thing Reverend Parris asks Abigail is if her “name in the town – it is entirely white, is it not?” because he is worried about his reputation…show more content…
Throughout the entire play, Abigail Williams uses her good name to control Salem by accusing people of witchcraft, which results in the deaths of many people in the town. After witnessing Tituba confess to Reverend Hale, Abigail confesses “I saw Sarah Good with the devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil!” (Miller 189). Abigail realizes that by giving the names of people she saw with the devil she can control Salem because she has a good name and people will listen to her. June Schlueter and James K. Flanagan claim “.A shrewd opportunist, she turns her own violation of Salem law into an occasion for naming those for whom she has little liking and, in so doing, transforms herself into a local heroine.” (116) John Proctor knows that Abigail is controlling Salem with her accusations and recognizes that the only way to stop her is to sully her good name. When Abigail accuses John’s wife of witchcraft, he becomes enraged and claims “It is a whore!” (Miller 220). By accusing Abigail of being a whore, John is trying to ruin her name and stop her from making any more accusations, but by admitting to “have known her, sir.” is also ruining his own good

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