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Post by emsuria35 on Oct 10, 2011 14:18:04 GMT -5
Throughout the play, we see the importance of reputation and its affects on the different characters. Parris's need for power and respect in the town opposes his somewhat bad reputation, that is until he has the chance once again to gain power through the witch trials. Also Proctor's own fear of losing his reputation stops him from admitting what he learned from Abigail in the beginning. Without this fear, the trials could have stopped before they even begun. How else do you think reputation plays a role in The Crucible? What characters did it affect the most and how did they base their decisions based on their reputation?
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Post by kaconti38 on Oct 10, 2011 16:45:39 GMT -5
Reputation definitely plays a big role in what Proctor does but i think it also has a big effect on Elizabeth's actions after she gets accused and brought to trial. Once Proctor admits to the affair he and Abigail they bring Elizabeth out and question her about it but she denies it. Because of all the hysteria running through the town at this time it makes everyone think she is more guilty. I think the fact that Elizabeth was willing to lie about what happened just so she could protect her husband shows how important reputation was in this community.
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Post by alschwe35 on Oct 10, 2011 18:48:54 GMT -5
Reputation is an issue that is portrayed throughout the course of the novel. In my opinion I think it also affects Proctor the most because once he admits to the affair he and Abby had in the past, it was so difficult for him to confess to it. The fact that the Puritan society would not approve of something like that would also affect his credibility when he claims that Abby is lying and is blaming his wife out of revenge. In that case people may refuse to believe him. Even when they called in Elizabeth she lied just to protect her husband's image which again reflects back to the community. She would rather lie, than to admit to something that actually occurred.
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Post by makoval38 on Oct 10, 2011 18:55:54 GMT -5
I agree that reputation was a very big issue for the character Proctor, which is seen very clearly in Act four, when Proctor says, "Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the Church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!" (miller 142) Even after Proctor had admitted that he had seen the devil, he still tries to protect his reputation by begging that not everyone should see his confession while many others have. Eventually, its brings him to his downfall because he would rather die and have no one know that he had given in and confessed that he had seen the devil rather than live and have a black mark upon his reputation
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Post by meshend38 on Oct 10, 2011 19:26:18 GMT -5
It seems that everyone is afraid of guilt by association. For example in the beginning of the play, Parris was terrified his reputation would be ruined through the association of him and his daughter. Regardless that he had nothing to do with witchcraft, it seemed to the town that Betty did. His insensitivity towards his daughter's condition was due to his desire to not be claimed to be a witch himself. On another note, Putnam's reputation is slightly different. He uses the witch accusations to his advantage as he buys up the land of those forced off of theirs. He is the only one in Salem who can afford to purchase the land. His reputation revolves around his false accusations and taking advantage of situations.
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