Self Preservation In The Crucible

The time period in which the Puritans lived in is dominated by strict rules. The societal standards required the people to fit into a certain mold, creating a rigid lifestyle. However, despite little disparity between the Puritans, those who have broken the rigidity for their own purposes were required to put on a façade to continue their original intent, however malicious or self-serving. If they did not put on a positive front, severe consequences were the result, such as being placed in a pillory or branded for life. Out of reasons for self-preservation, many chose to deceive the general public of their motivations. This trait was highlighted within the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, as well as the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel …show more content…
In the play, Abigail is seventeen years of age, which in Puritan society, is still considered a child. Miller uses this idea to bring the theme of childlike innocence into play, creating Abigail’s positive façade, which she attempts to maintain over the course of the play. Puritans perceived children as beings incapable of independent thought, and were therefore brought up in the rigid societal standards. If a child were to lie, the general public would believe the child, due to the fact that they believed children were unable to think of the content of the lie. Therefore, the people of Salem believed Abigail because of this logic. (INSERT TEXT EXAMPLE OF ABIGAIL BEING BELIEVED) In this passage, Abigail accuses Tituba of being a witch, and she is believed, despite her not having physical evidence to prove her accusation. Because she is a child, she is perceived to be truthful. Also in The Crucible, Miller used Abigail’s relationship with John Proctor to highlight the theme of a maintaining a positive image. After the affair occurred, Proctor had to continue on in his life with the knowledge that he had been involved in an extramarital affair. Despite this, Proctor had to

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