The Crucible

In literature as in life, people are confronted by difficult situations. In them, some people act honorably, but other individuals behave shamefully. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, two characters find themselves involved in challenging situations. One chooses to behave honorably and maintain his integrity, while the other chooses to behave shamefully and ruin the reputation of others.
First, Arthur Miller creates a complex situation for one character to show how honorable he is. John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor’s husband, has a difficult decision to make. On the eve of his execution, Mr. Parris and Mr. Hale walk around the jail cells to see if any of the prisoners would confess for being involved in witchcraft. They do not wish for John Proctor to be hanged, so they have his wife come and talk to him. Proctor asks Elizabeth, “‘What would you have me do?’” (Miller 136). She responds to him, “‘As you will, I would have it….I want you living John, that’s for s...