Theme Of Reputation In The Crucible

In The Crucible a lot of stuff happens. A girl controls the whole village with her bad reputation. A families life gets messed up. Also alot, a lot of people die just because of this girls actions. Every bad thing leads to another and that is what happens in this play. In this play it shows who people really are when a person gets power they don't care about others they get what they want. Repetition is everything in that time.Reputation and integrity is a big role in this book just because everyone's reputation changes dramatically over and over again. With a bad reputation you can do bad things. If you have a powerful reputation you can get whatever you want and when you want it. In The Crucible By Arthur Miller, Reputation and integrity was shown by the characters actions.

In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the people of Salem, Massachusetts prove time and time again that they care more about their reputations than the events that are taking place and how these events are affecting the people around them. Having a good reputation can be a good thing but when being concerned about your reputation clouds your judgement, that is when it becomes a dilemma. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses having a good reputation, the character of Parris, and how reputation and The Crucible tie into modern life to enlighten the reader that even though having a good reputation is great, it should not cloud one’s ability to see the harm they are doing to others.

“It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently” (Warren Buffett). Arthur Miller was a well known American playwright, essayist and a very important figure in the American theater. Arthur wrote some very important plays throughout his life and The Crucible was one of them. The Crucible is a very well written play about the Salem Witch Trials and how the people chose their own reputation rather than telling the truth and having a consequence for it. Having a good reputation in a small town like Salem is very crucial. This is evident throughout the acts in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. John Proctor,

Reputation is something that one holds above their head to keep their good name safe. Everyone has their own reputation that they have made up for themselves in their own mind. Not only have they made one up for themselves but others make one for them too. There are several people in the Crucible who value their reputation over the truth. Having a good reputation on one’s name is good in the small town of Salem. It helps to have a good name because it makes people want to help with business. There were three important people in the Crucible who valued their reputation the most, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Parris.

As we all know reputation is a really big deal in today’s society. Hardly any kid can be themselves because they are so scared they won't fit in or be popular. Many adults feel the same way. If there neighbor buys a boat, they feel like they should buy one to just fit in. In “The Crucible” it is the same way reputation is very important to them and they don’t want to ruin there reputation even if it is gonna sacrifice them being alive, they want to make sure they keep their good name in the community. In this novel there were a bunch of characters who cared about their reputation. Parris, Abigail, Rebecca Nurse, and John Proctor. The main two who cared about their reputation would be Abigail and John. Many characters in “The Crucible” are concerned about their reputations. Two of the main characters especially concerned with the betrayal of their reputations are Abigail and John.

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one of the many themes that stands out to most people is the importance of a having a good name and reputation. Miller uses certain characters outcomes in the play to prove that reputation was actually not the biggest concern. He consistently shows that reputation means nothing when it came to being accused during the Salem Witch Trials because many innocent people were killed. People began to use these accusations for their own benefit and that’s when it became chaotic. These random accusations of witchcraft could immediately cause someone’s admirable reputation to disappear. He provides evidence in the play through most characters that we would consider to have a good reputation such as: Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor.

In Arthur Miller’s dramatic play The Crucible, the notable writer successfully argues that the people in Salem rely too much on their reputation by creating a connection to the audience in order to convey the message. He does this in hopes of informing the world that in times of hysteria, reputation means nothing. To prove the argument, Miller uses ethos by developing his credibility when he explains his very own knowledge of the historical situation. Also, the appeals of logos and pathos are evident when illustrating the value of reputation within the play through the characters’ tones.

Many people cherish their reputation, what other people think and believe about someone is crucial in today’s society. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is centered around the theme of reputation. One’s name is tremendously important in Salem, where someone’s social standing reflects their ability to follow religious rules and obligations. In Salem, reputation far surpasses the truth. Majority of the characters in The Crucible would rather die than risk damaging their “good” name. When witchcraft accusations start spreading through the town, one’s fate is determined by their reputation. John Proctor and Abigail Williams are both perfect examples of this, both risking everything in attempt to protect their tarnishing reputations.

Socrates once said, “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of -- for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again”.In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Miller utilizes the Salem witch trials as inspiration for a parable of McCarthyism of the 1950’s in which the HUAC would decimate one’s reputation on the grounds of suspicion as a communist. Miller reflects this in his story of trials of townspeople suspected of witchcraft. Miller develops the theme of the importance of reputation in society through the contrast in characterization of his characters Reverend Parris and John Proctor, who are most concerned with their good name in the eyes of their community and god, respectively.

John Proctor shouts in Act 4, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!” (4.910). In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the idea of one’s reputation is displayed in many scenarios. Reverend Parris values how people perceive him because of its effect on his job. Judge Danforth values his reputation because it grants him a level of esteem and control. John Proctor, on the other hand, values his reputation because he believes it is a direct representation of himself. Although the motives of these characters vary, they all highly value their “names”. Miller uses the theme of reputation to show that people will make great sacrifices to shape other’s perception of them.

He is a reverend in the local church and according to Proctor in Act II he “preach nothin’ but golden candlesticks until he had them” (Miller 1242). Reverend Parris was well respected in the community; many looked up to him because he was the reverend. He was supposed to live up to the standard of leadership in the Christian faith, and although he may have fooled some into believing his lies, others like Proctor, saw right through him. He is a very greedy man, and he does not follow what he preaches. In other words, Reverend Parris liked to talk the talk but not walk the walk. He once complained in Act I that he was “not used to the poverty of 60 pounds per year” (Miller 1227). One of the key values in the Christian faith is that the love of money leads to corruption, and that many times money can become an idol and take the place of God. Reverend Parris preached on this doctrine of faith, but failed to follow it himself. He even lied in Act III directly to Judge Hawthorne when questioned about discovering the girls dancing in the woods. Earlier in the play, Parris admits to seeing the girls naked but now in court he lies and testifies against it. Reverend Parris may seem good and holy because he is a reverend, but when taking a deeper look at his heart, he is corrupt just like

Have you ever done something that might hurt your good reputation that you wouldn’t want anyone who you cared about to know what you did; and will lie and do just about anything just to make sure they think of you as this perfect person. Well, in the play THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller; a group of little girls were caught in the woods committing witchcraft and so they lied and blamed other people just so that their names would go back to being pure. Their lies cost the lives of a lot of people. Arthur Miller is trying to communicate that these characters will do anything to keep their name good in the village.

One major them in The Crucible is reputation. In Salem, there is not a lot of differentiation between public and private matters which makes the witchcraft trials and the Proctor’s marriage more public than anyone would like. While the trials are technically public information it gets more public as the community finds out. People are almost obsessed with keeping a picture-perfect reputation and fear of being guilty by association. For example, when Abigail first started speaking about the adultery committed between her and John he refused to testify as a precaution to keep his name from being tarnished.

Has anybody that you know tarnished or tampered with your reputation? Within the book the Crucible there are several hints that Arthur Miller is trying to make about reputation linking it to the real world. Some examples of reputation are John Proctor and his name being tared from The Crucible. Also, The West Memphis Three who were wrongly accused of murder, as well as Audrie and Daisy who were both judged for things that they didn't choose to do. These are only some of the many examples of reputation being slandered and how people are affected by it.

Reputation is extremely important in a town where social standing is tied to one’s ability to follow religious rules. Your good name is the only way you can get other people to do business with you or even get a fair hearing. Of course, reputation meant nothing when a witchcraft accusation was staring you in the face. But reputation is what made the Reverend hale begin to doubt whether the accused individuals were actually guilty. And it was for the sake of his reputation and his friends’ reputations that John Proctor refused to sign a false confession. He would, quite literally, rather die. Although John Proctor goes to his death falsely condemned as a witch, he gains his reputation and respect among those who matter, like his wife, because he refuses to falsely identify his friends and neighbours as witches. The loss of Abigail’s reputation toward the end of the play shows that characters in The Crucible eventually earn the reputations they deserve, despite the personal tragedies that might take place along the way. Having a good reputation is very important in The Crucible. It means you can be accepted by society. If you do not have a good name, you will be completely rejected. John Proctor would no longer be thought of a morally straight and righteous person. Reverend Parris would lose all his respect and not be accepted by society. Judge Danforth would be constantly questioned and lose his job. Keeping and maintaining your good name is an overwhelming theme in The