he cannot allow Danforth to make it officially documented. As Danforth asks him why John answers with a cry:" because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life . . . How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name’ He realises, however, that this will negate the reputation he has built over a lifetime and cause him to betray his friends and community, he chooses death over dishonour and betrayal and tears up his signed confession. As he rips up his confession his guilt, his doubt and his rage are gone and what remains is, as John Proctor says:‘some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs’ At the denouement of the play, Arthur Miller has resolved all of Proctor’s moral struggles. Proctor forgave himself for his sins and also died out of responsibility to others. His choice to tear up his confession and allow himself to be sacrificed to prevent the corruption of society forms the conclusion and the moment of catharsis in The Crucible. Miller uses John Proctor to demonstrate that we all have human frailties, but standing up for your beliefs and maintaining truth and your integrity are among the most important things. He also uses Proctor to demonstrate what an unjust system can do to an individual with good intents. The play is a parallel to the anti-Communist McCarthy era. Through John Proctor we see the ludicrous nature of mass hysteria that exists when society has gone awry. It is apparent that Miller focuses his play around the moral struggles of the protagonist, John Proctor. Throughout the play, Proctor has many struggles that he must deal with and look deep into his soul to find the resolution. He undergoes a major survey of his character and it is only this way that he can gain redemption for his sins. By abiding by his own moral code, John Proctor makes many hard decisions that w...
