Themes_Of_The_Crucible

Themes Of The Crucible Themes Reputation - Reputation is tremendously important in theocratic Salem, where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly pernicious. Focused on maintaining public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends and associates will taint their names. Various characters base their actions on the desire to protect their respective reputations. As the play begins, Parris fears that Abigail's increasingly questionable actions, and the hints of witchcraft surrounding his daughter's coma, will threaten his reputation and force him from the pulpit. Meanwhile, the protagonist, John Proctor, also seeks to keep his good name from being tarnished. Early in the play, he has a chance to put a stop to the girls' accusations, but his desire to preserve his reputation keeps him from testifying against Abigail. At the end of the play, however, Proctor's desire to keep his good name leads him to make the heroic choice not to make a false confession and to go to his death without signing his name to an untrue statement. "I have given you my soul; for God’s sakes, leave me reputation, name, hysteria, play, people, desire, proctor, witchcraft, townsfolk, thrive, salem, role, public, parris, out, make, keep, important, good, fear, end, crucible, chance, because, babies, actions, act, abigail, without, within, wife, whom, wealthy, virtuous, village, various