The Crucible Act II

The characters in The Crucible have very different personalities, which influence their actions and feelings toward one another.  These personalities intersect with the circumstances that arise and result in a crisis that impacts an entire community.  Ultimately, it is the conflict between personalities that allows the unfortunate loss of innocent lives.  

 John Proctor is one of the main characters in The Crucible.  He is portrayed with a “green” personality which suits his thinking attitude.  He, along with his wife, doubts the legitimacy of witches in Salem and this opinion made them a prime target for accusations.  John fits under the role of a green personality because he uses logical ideas to come to conclusions and often questions authority.  Proctor disagrees with Reverend Parris’s sermons and believes him to be a selfish hypocrite.  He is not afraid to vocalize this fact either.  “Take it to heart, Mr. Parris.  There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more” (Miller 29).  Proctor again challenges authority when Cheever tries to arrest Elizabeth, John’s wife.  Proctor responds by pushing Cheever away and only when Elizabeth tells him to stop, does he submit.  (Miller 74).  Proctor’s personality is what defines his character and the actions that it drives him to take. 

Abigail Williams is portrayed as the antagonist of The Crucible with an “orange” personality.  She is the opposite of Proctor because she is a doer, and she rarely thinks before she acts.  Abigail started the whole plot of witches in Salem with a night of dancing with voodoo and music.  Her rash actions led to the death of many people, and the destruction of a once peaceful village.  (Miller 19).  Abigail is an orphaned girl that longs for acceptance and is a risk taker that acts on impulse.  She has an affair with Proctor before the book starts that ended with Abigail longing for more and hating Elizabeth for keeping John.  This impulsive anger drives Abigail to go along with the witch’s outbreak.  She seems to thrive during the crisis and uses the mass paranoia to her advantage by accusing those who she held grudges against with witchcraft.  Her desire to be accepted and gain power in the community leads her to such ends.

Reverend John Hale is another prominent character in The Crucible.  He has a “gold” personality that demonstrates his motivation to help others and to return order to the community.  Hale is responsible and dedicated to his position and enjoys the authority it provides.  Hale honestly wants to solve the mysterious symptoms seen in Salem, but makes the wrong choices to do it.  He is responsible for diagnosing the young girls with being controlled with witchcraft which throws the entire village into an uproar.  (Miller 39).  Hale’s goal was to use his knowledge to save Salem, but he ends up siding with the witch hunters and is in charge of questioning suspects.  He enjoys the public spotlight and likes the authority and respect that accompanies his job.  His personality leads him to make many of these choices based on his own knowledge and pride.  He desires to be self-sufficient and so does not ask for assistance in determining the validity of the claims.

All three of these characters made very different decisions throughout the Salem witch trials driven by their personalities. John Proctor, John Hale, and Abigail all had unique character traits which gave them each a different view on the events that were unfolding before them.  Their personality and resulting character worked against them to intensify the unfolding issues in Act 1.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.