John Proctor Dynamic Character

Words: 678

Pages: 3

Open Document

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Miller creates a dynamic character in John Proctor, and this character has affected literature tremendously. “Proctors” are people that hold firm, have a grip on their own life, and are willing to put people straight. A “Proctor” debts himself to no one and does not let his beliefs change based on other people. “In Proctor’s presence,” Miller writes, “a fool felt his foolishness instantly—and a Proctor is always marked for calumny therefore” (144). Characters that resemble John Proctor force fools to know their foolishness and therefore they are “marked for calumny”, or they are lied about and attacked solely for the reason that others do not care for them. These characters are common in literature today and there are real life Proctors as well. As a matter of fact, the traits of John Proctor are so profound and well-known that other characters from American literature share similarities and are classified as a “Proctor”. One example of this kind of character is Hawkeye from The Last of …show more content…
When a person is made to feel foolish and wrong, they turn to condemnation and attacks. Sadly, this results in tragic circumstances for Proctors. For example, all three examples of Proctors in this essay, John Proctor, Hawkeye, and Martin Luther King Jr., suffered a tragic fate or misfortune. John Proctor and Martin Luther King Jr both were assassinated and Hawkeye lost his best friend, all of these at the hands of their enemies and the people they had stood up against. These Proctors did not commit faults, they only opposed people when they were wrong, but they still suffered the consequences. This is what Miller means when he says John Proctor was “marked for calumny” (144). These tragic heroes unfortunately suffer this fate often due to the fact that they place matters in their own hands and they do not bow down to something they believe is

How John Proctor's Character Changes In The Crucible

I think that John Proctor changes the most. From start to finish, he is the only character we see throughout the entire drama. He is in every act, in nearly every scene, and we are able to gain the most from seeing him down the line experience a gradual change that crescendos at the end. Prior to the actual action of the play, John Proctor has committed adultery with Abigail Williams. Readers learn of this through a dialogue which takes place between both John and Abigail and John and Elizabeth…

Words 546 - Pages 3

The Crucible Man Vs Himself Analysis

Man Vs. Himself (Proctor) Proctor’s struggle with self image is clearly present throughout the play. Proctor cannot seem to rid himself of the shame he feels for his affair with Abigail nor forgive himself for his actions. In the events of the play, Proctor is sent on a quest to find his goodness. He is ashamed of the false display he puts on for society, and eventually manages to overcome them. Proctor’s greatest battle within himself was when he was forced to decide whether to face prosecution…

Words 1572 - Pages 7

Crucible Essay

there are two types of characters, static characters and dynamic characters. Static characters do not change throughout the duration of the story, but dynamic characters do change throughout the story. A dynamic character can be described by their actions, beliefs, and their relationships with others. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor can be described as a dynamic character. One way John Proctor is dynamic is through his relationship with Elizabeth Proctor. It goes from a relationship…

Words 2364 - Pages 10

Essay about the forrbidden city

Carey ENG 2D1-05 Wednesday December 12th 2012 John Proctor vs Abigail Williams The town of Salem has many to blame for the tragedy that occured. John Proctor and Abigail Williams are tow of the people who contributed to the tragedy that occured in Salem. John Proctor and Abigail Willams are similiar for the following reasons :they both care about their reputation in the otwn of Salem. They both have an affair with each other. Proctor and Abigail are different in many ways too. Abigail lies…

Words 1453 - Pages 6

The Crucible John Proctor Analysis

several dynamic characters in its story, however none that are more interesting than John Proctor and Mary Warren. John Proctor, a farmer, lives just outside of the town Salem where the story takes place. He, his wife and his three kids both live together in a small house, the common room of their house is where two takes place. Mary Warren, the Proctors servant, helps John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor, take care of the children and tend to the house while John is out farming. John Proctor and…

Words 704 - Pages 3

John Proctor Character Analysis Essay

John Proctor from The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a strong character, not just in the play itself, but throughout all of literacy. Choices he makes set his character apart as honest and good, while on the contrary, he himself views himself as horrible and sinful. John Proctor’s traits, characteristics, and his evolution as a character is what makes him so complex and interesting. Towards the end of the play Proctor makes a choice that reveals if what the world believes about him is true, or if how…

Words 580 - Pages 3

How Is Elizabeth Presented In The Crucible

Elizabeth Proctor is famed as a character in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Lesser known is the fact that before Miller wrote his novel, Elizabeth Proctor lived and breathed. She was a married woman with two children and one soon to come. Her husband was hanged during the witch trials before she gave birth. However, the true Elizabeth and the character in Miller’s work are not necessarily one in the same. The real Elizabeth and her fictional representation went through the same trials and tribulations…

Words 581 - Pages 3

Essay The Crucible and Abigail

John Proctor and Abigail are alone in the room with Betty. Proctor questions Abigail about Betty's illness, suspecting that responsibility for "this mischief" probably lies with Abigail. Denying any involvement in witchcraft, Abigail states that she and the girls merely danced in the woods. Abigail asks Proctor if he has come to see her, but Proctor denies it. The conversation reveals that approximately seven months earlier, Abigail and Proctor had an affair while Abigail lived and worked in…

Words 1441 - Pages 6

The Role Of Reverend Hale In The Crucible

Reverend Hale is a dynamic character that undergoes some change during the course of the play. In The Crucible, Hale is dynamic because when he arrives in Salem, he's very determined to investigate and prove the presence of witchcraft. However, by the end of the play, Hale recognizes the truth which is that Abby and the other girls were lying the whole time and that John Proctor is really guilty only of adultery. In the beginning of the play Hale says “I must say it, Mr. Proctor; that is not for you…

Words 282 - Pages 2

Salem Witch Trials and John Proctor Essay

the novel, before the affair and her accusation of witchcraft. Abigail struggles with her reputation soon after. When accused of witchcraft, she gets very defensive, “My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soild! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (18) Although this is false. 3. Thomas Putnam and his wife do have reasons to be bitter about the course their lives have taken in Salem. They lost seven children in childbirth, and their only child, Ruth, is extremely sick…

Words 1585 - Pages 7