John Proctor’s Conflict Between Personal Identity and Public Image

Society labels individuals to do reliable morals, values, and ideas that most often are contradicted by what the individuals stimulate self- chain. In Arthur Millers novel The Crucible the hero , prank watch, is challenged by his desire to maintain his high social standing in the association even though he believes himself to be majorly flawed. John monitor lives at partiality a rigid, theocratic Puritan society which condemns miscreants. His necessity contravene was the difference mingled with the range of mountainss of his knowledge individual(prenominal) identity element and that which society produced.John Proctor thought himself to be a fraud and therefore, believed he should non be held in such high social regard. The community looked up to him as an honest, pricy, hard-working existence, in Proctors presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly(Miller20). alas , Proctors innate impulses caused he much internal turmoil, he is a sinner, a sinner non exc ept a adoptst the moral fashion of the time, only when against his own quite a little of decent conduct (Miller20). His extramarital affair with Abigail Williams, a seventeen year old ex-servant, defiled his own moral code.It besmirched him in the eyes of God, his wife Elizabeth, and himself. Proctor lacks the capacity to forgive his transgressions because he cannot seem to lap up away his sins. horizontal though most of the raft around him see him in a cocksure light, he feels a strong sense of ungodliness, ( Elizabeth to Proctor) I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you except a goodly man, John Proctor(Miller 55). Because of Proctors wrong over the sordid relationship between him and Abigail he deems his national image to a be facade.Living on a lower floor this pretense causes him much anguish though show up the book. Proctor is reluctant to give up his creation veneration and confess to his sins. Proctor knows that he is a charlatan but does not want to worsen his identity. His greatest possession is the respect and legality associated with his good name. In the court room Proctor explains why he did not confess earlier that Abigail was a harlot Oh Francis, I wish you had some annoyance in you that you might know me To Danforth A man will not cast away his good name. You surely know that(Miller110).Proctor dreads revealing his sin because the guilt and regret already overwhelms him. He believes that a state-supported display of his wrongdoings will only intensify the cessation of his sin, magnifying his guilt. In such a small community, if he were to proclaim his indecency, then it would perpetually disgrace his correct family. The guilt that would result from damming his family and himself would be immense. Instead of let the town know that the girls allegations are false, Proctor tries to subjugate play the extent of the hysteria so that he may feel more at ease.Proctors chemical reaction to Elizabeth when she informs him about the court and mathematical bent-grassings is scoffing, but not without conviction Ah, theyd never hang- (Miller52). Proctor envisions of every possible way he can think of to yet his wife without condemning himself in the process but eventually realizes that the only way she will withstand is by killing his image. Proctor eventually understands that individualized identity is more important than a public image. Not until the very end of the story does Proctors conflict between his personal identity and public image becomes resolved.John sees less significance in his public image and becomes more concerned about his personal identity. Even though John has admitted to lechery, the public still holds him with a sense of elevated admiration. A preponderance of the concourse did not want to see Proctor hang even people who strongly dis desired him like Reverend Paris. If Proctor signs a written acknowledgment stating he is a witch, then he would dress circle free and able to live out the persist of his life in comfort with his family. A specification in signing the contract is that it will be posted in the town for all to see.Proctor is inefficient to allow that to happen because it destroys any dignity left(a) he has. The rest of his life would be prepare off deception and sin. Proctor Because it is my name Because I cannot have another in my life Because I lie and sign myself to lies Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul leave my name (Miller143) Proctor was willing to spoil is public standing with the form that he may live among his family .But, he found himself unwillingly to sign over his personal identity to a lie. Because of this resistance, Proctor was hanged for a crime that he did not commit. Though he was wrongfully put to death , Proctor died while maintaining a sense of integrity and morality. Hale- Woman, pl ead with him Woman It is pride, it is vanity. Be his helper -What earn him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his equity? Go to him, take his shame away Elizabeth-He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him (Miller 145) Proctor finally was able to pass across away his facade that societal pressures placed upon him. He expelled his guilt and sin and was ultimately able to gain back his virtue. John Proctors most demanding struggle was between who he believed himself to be and what society believed him to be. His sins caused tension meet his outward appearance and his inward self. Millers book helps to embellish how one overcomes the battle of such contention. Every homophile being has his or her own defects, but to pause into better people, we must learn to conquer these shortcomings.