Novel Review: The Crucible

Authors use details in order to make the reader understand the intricacy of a novel. Arthur Miller uses emotions to further stress the sever consequences of the events in the novel. Arthur Miller picked the title of The Crucible for his novel because it means a sever test. Throughout the novel, the honesty of the characters is constantly being tested. Throughout the novel many characters, such as John Proctor, changed. However, many remained the same. Abigail Williams and Thomas Putnum both seemed to be unaffected by the events at hand. 

Throughout The Crucible, many characters, such as John Proctor, were changed or altered by the events at hand. At the beginning of the play John Proctor was a sinner. He had had an affair with Abigail Williams, his hired girl. John’s wife, Elizabeth, learned of the affair and immediately dismissed Abigail. However, Abigail remained deeply in love with John, determined to gain him back. Throughout the play, we see various acts where John chooses to stay away and even turn against Abigail. When Abigail and him are alone he states, “I would cut off my hand before I ever reach to you again.” This shows that John is changing and repenting for his sins. Furthermore, John even testifies in court against Abigail, stating that everything she is saying is false. Abigail has been falsely accusing various towns’ women of witchcraft, in order to save herself from punishment. However, in the end John is also accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death. At the end of the play, John refuses to write a confession, stating that he is guilty of witchcraft, in order to save his life. He says that his name is all he has and he will not give that up. Furthermore, John makes his peace with Elizabeth, his wife. John is no longer a sinner and a false man. In fact in not choosing to lie and save himself, John dies a righteous and noble death.