High Noon Analysis

As human beings, we each display specific traits and qualities that define our character and shape our personalities. The way in which we carry ourselves establishes our reputations, as well as how others identify us. We are each prone to making mistakes, and unfortunately, the mistakes we make can affect the way people see us as well. The struggle to regain a good name can be difficult and uncertain once someone’s reputation is tarnished. In Arthur Miller’s timeless play, The Crucible, a well-respected man named John Proctor betrays his wife and struggles to gain her forgiveness and his good name in the village of Salem. Although John Proctor betrays his wife, he

People’s true character is revealed through their actions. Their morals and ethics can be told from how they choose to act in a situation. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; the character of John Proctor is an honorable man despite having committed wrongful acts. He was able to redeem himself through acts that is considered courageous, such as when he refuses to contribute to the lie of witchcraft in Salem, when he fights for the people who were convicted of witchcraft and when he regrets being a dishonest man.

Reputation is a social phenomenon for individuals in every society. Every one of us cares how we are viewed at some point, and everyone else provides that view. Reputation has transformed largely over the centuries, and we can see a large theme of it in Puritan-based literature such as Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In the Puritan lifestyle, reputation was among the utmost importance to citizens. Keeping a good name through correct moral conduct was a very critical social aspect for Puritans. In The Crucible there is a strong theme of the importance of reputation which directly applies to John Proctor, Abigail, and Reverend Parris.

Purist Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 suffered from a rapidly increasing phenomenon: witchcraft accusations and trials. The Crucible is a play that recounts the times of this incident. For the most part, it follows a man known as John Proctor. He is a sensible, honest, and hardworking man who made the mistake of succumbing to lust which sets off a chain of events that leads to the witch trials, and to his own demise. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible’s protagonist John Proctor proves to be a flawed human being who struggles to make sense of his past relationship with Abigail, his love for his wife, and his pride.

For my at home movie I watched Hang em’ High directed by Ted Post. It is considered a spaghetti western that was made in America. In comparison to the film we watched in class, High Noon directed by Fred Zinnemann. These two westerns had many similarities and differences. From differences in how the movie was actually shot, to the similarity of how both of the main characters are loners, these two movies connect all over on many different levels.

Mr. Putnam is a very wealthy and influential man in Salem. As a result of him being driven by power and wealth he uses the witch trials to his advantage. In the past, the Nurses and the Putnams have had disputes: “Thomas Putnam’s man for the Salem ministry was Bayley. The Nurse clan had been in the faction that prevented Bayley’s taking office” (Miller 27). Thomas Putnam would have gained power by having his choice for the Salem ministry chosen. He would gain status and the favor of the leader of Salem, but the Nurse family stood in his way. This incident sparked anger in Mr. Putnam against the Nurse family and now he is out for revenge and he is using the trials to get it. Another grudge he has against the Nurses is connected to land: “Another suggestion to explain the systematic campaign against Rebecca, and inferentially against Francis, is the land war he fought with his neighbors, one of whom was a Putnam” (Miller 27). The Putnams have a history of fighting over land with the Nurse family and this gives him a motive to go after them and their land. Putnam’s desire for land and wealth also gives him the motivation to take the land from the Nurse family in any way he can, including blaming them for witchcraft. This dispute is important because it gives motive to the Putnams and shows their determination to get what they want.

The girls at the beginning of the play, avoided punishment by accusing others of the very things they were guilty of themselves. This desperate act of self-preservation resulted in the mass paranoia and atmosphere that gripped Salem for the continuance of the witch trials. By allowing audiences to see how dark desires and hidden agendas subsequentially drive people, Miller explores human motivation and the behaviour that results from it. Ironically, it is desire, sexual, material and physical desire that drives the people of Salem. For example, Abigail, full of desire for Proctor, seizes an opportunity to reverse fate and eliminate Elizabeth Proctor, by accusing her of witch craft. Elizabeth was the only person in Abigail’s eyes that was preventing her from marrying Proctor. In addition, Abigail’s status within the community is elevated and she gains power a young woman of her social status could have only dreamt of. Furthermore, the Putnam’s also seize the opportunity the witch trials create. Putnam has a hidden agenda, namely, land lust and his desire to elevate himself within the

American playwright Arthur Miller, in his play The Crucible (1952) displays to us that which hunt still exists in American society. Miller supports this claim by drawing parallels between the Salem Witch trials and the senator Joseph McCarthy. His purpose is to warn his readers of the dangers of mass hysteria. He uses emotional appeals and logic to convince the readers that mass “hunts” are still a danger to Americans today. The crucial way however, that Miller achieves his supreme objective of revealing the risks of reputation vs. integrity is through a fascinating character, John Proctor. John is an example of an internally conflicted character because he had a huge argument with Elizabeth over Abigail, Proctor also had an affair with Abigail, and lastly John had a choice between life and death at the end of the play.

As J.K. Rowling once said, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” As a country, we have struggled with numerous situations involving individuals standing up for what they believe is right. But many individuals discover the courage to be able to express their true thoughts and feelings. In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, these types of situations are exhibited through John Proctor and Mary Warren speaking out against the town of Salem. This is also demonstrated in real life situations such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for African American rights. All of these examples display the amount of boldness and strength it takes to repulse against society. Having true courage will notably separate a person apart from society.

Honor - we often hear this word thrown around in daily conversation. Whether talking about respected members of the community or characters in novels and films, the word honor is used repeatedly. What does honor really mean, though? The answer to that question is certainly not simple, as the definition of honor differs from person to person. This idea of the various types of honor can be shown through comparing the protagonist, John Proctor, in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, to Will Kane in the movie “High Noon”, directed by Frank Zinnemann. Proctor struggles with trying to find his definition of honor as it changes from being held accountable by society’s standards to his own private moral of truth.

The phrase “honesty is the best policy,” applies to Arthur Miller’s history-based drama, The Crucible, in a variety of ways. The accusations throughout the story build on lie after lie after lie from those trying to protect their own name, thus putting the whole town in a state of confusion and chaos. Nobody in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts knows whom to trust anymore, after all of the false allegations made. There are three characters in particular in the story that, if they had told the truth from the commencement, the town would have been in a state of peace rather than mayhem. If Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Elizabeth Proctor had been honest, many innocent lives could have been spared and Salem would not be in such

Putnam is completely controlled by his greed and doesn?t care who is hurt or even killed, as long as he gets more land. The girls of Salem are also heavily controlled by their greed. The girls, especially Abby, are given an incredible amount of power during the trials. They are members of the court and anyone they accuse can be put to death: ?And folks are brought before them, and if they scream and howl and fall to the floor?the person?s clapped in the jail for bewitchin? them? (53). Abigail is not greedy for land, she just wants the power that has been bestowed upon her and the other girls. Abigail enjoys being seen as a saint: ??where she walks the crowd will part like the sea of Israel? (53). Girls in this time were used to being ignored and powerless. The trials forced people to give

In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the character John Proctor will not lie and confess to something he did not do. Thus, he is hanged for his principles. Proctor has two main principles he felt were more important to respect and uphold than his own life. The most obvious one was his reputation. In theocratic Salem, where private and public ethics are regarded equally, one’s reputation plays an important role. In such an environment where reputation is regarded so highly many are afraid of guilt by association. Various characters base their actions on the desire to protect their own reputations, in order to keep them in the best light possible. Towards the beginning of the play, John Proctor sought to keep his good name

Most humans create a facade which they hide behind. A person will create an identity that fits their expected role in their family, community, and society. All of these factors play into the human ideal because no one expectation of an ideal human matches another, but people still want to meet the expectations of the people around them. One common thread comes from even under the mask that all humans wear. Within The Odyssey by Homer, The Republic by Plato, and The Holy Bible, honor is able to play a role into a human’s life in many different ways; it is what pushes people into becoming the leader, teacher, and follower of what is believed in, and honor is what creates an ideal human.

In today's society, honor is something that is respected every day, but in occasions is overlooked by others. The main characters, John Proctor and Abigail Williams, represent multiple types of honor. Abigail Williams shows dishonor towards the victims of Salem and towards Elizabeth Proctor. John Proctor’s name is an example of honor because he doesn't want his title to be disrespected by the community for admitting to witchcraft. Honor continues to become a factor back in the 17th century and even today. In the play, “The Crucible”, honor, and dishonor are represented multiple times throughout the play.