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John Proctor Honesty Quotes

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Thesis: Throughout the drama, the characters spoil acts of virtue or of piety for their own profit or selfish advance.
The seventeen year old niece of Reverend Parris prompts the story to turn into a giant snowball effect. Abigail violates multiple virtuous acts, some of which break the rules of her religion. These ruined acts include honesty, love and humanity. “PROCTOR, his smile widening: Ah, you're wicked yet, aren't y'! (A trill of expectant laughter escapes her, and she dares come closer, feverishly looking into his eyes.) You'll be clapped in the stocks before you're twenty. He takes a step to go, and she springs into his path. ABIGAIL: Give me a word, John. A soft word. (Her concentrated desire destroys his smile.) PROCTOR: No, no, …show more content…

I hope you will be one of those. Mary Warren suddenly sobs. She’s not hearty, I see” (Miller 1253). When speaking of John Proctor, a hard-working man and father, he seems to get only good reviews. Proctor, however, ruins the positive aspects of loyalty, mindfulness, and reverence. Long ago he performed the sin of adultery with Abigail Williams. This caused the rivalry between Abigail and Elizabeth that progressed throughout the story. “PROCTOR, his voice about to break, and his shame great: In the proper place—where my beasts are bedded. On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to serve me in my house, sir. (He has to clamp his jaw to keep from weeping.) A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you—see her what she is. My wife, my dear good wife, took this girl soon after, sir, and put her out on the highroad. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sir— (He is being overcome.) Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. (Angrily against himself, he turns away from the Governor for a moment. Then, as though to cry out is his only means of speech left:) She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help …show more content…

Though dancing seems like a playful action the girls spoiled its virtue by trying to hurt people with spells and voodoo. Normally one sacrifices himself for the greater good of others but Abigail only sacrifices others for the greater good of herself. She blames others for what her and the other girls did in the woods. Even in court she acts as if someone influences her to worship the devil. John took Mary Warren with him to the courthouse so she could explain that she was the one who gave Elizabeth the poppet. The young girl broke the virtue of fidelity by renouncing her testimony. As Abigail sees a yellow bird that represents Mary Warren, she blames the girl of trying to harm her and pull her from God’s work. A result of this causes Mary to turn on John Proctor and beg for Abigail’s forgiveness. Mary Warren spoils the virtue of faith by turning on her employer. Everyone asks John to sign a paper saying that he worked with the devil and he does sign it. However once he signed the paper John lost his sense of nobility and integrity. Mr. Proctor felt ashamed of signing the paper but he valued his life more than his virtue. While Danforth is in the Proctor’s cell he too tries to convince the “guilty” man to sign the paper in order for him to be free. On the other hand, as Proctor refuses to give any names or refuses to give the paper back to the deputy governor

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