To completely understand the characters in The Crucible and why they behave in the ways they do, you must refer to Kohlberg’s moral precepts for an explanation. Kollberg has three stages, all of which occur over the course of your life through neurological development as you age. The first stage of development is preconventional, followed by conventional and lastly, post conventional. All stages are acquired as you age, however, once you reach the next level of development, you do not throw away the previous level. All three stages are intended to give us insight into human behavior that may seem odd or confusing at first. 

There are some examples of preconventional characters in The Crucible. These characters do certain things or have certain behaviors to help them achieve a reward or avoid a punishment. The first example of a preconventional character is Tituba. She confesses to dealing with the devil for a crime she did not commit. If she did not confess, her master said he would “take [her] out and whip [her] to [her] death”. She confessed to save her life. Another character who acted in a certain way to avoid punishment is Mary Warren. She stated that “Abby will kill [her] for saying that” when John Proctor tells her to testify in court and admit she put the needle in the doll. If she does confess to putting the needle in the doll, Abby will kill her and accuse Proctor of lechery. The final example is Abigail Williams. When Elizabeth Proctor says “she wants me dead” to John, she is referring to Abigail Williams who had a salacious relationship with John. Abigail would kill Elizabeth Proctor to be with John. The reward for Abigail in this situation would be John Proctor. In conclusion, The Crucible contains preconventional characters whose actions and behaviors are driven by attaining rewards or evading punishment. These characters represent a stage of moral development where their choices are primarily influenced by self-interest and immediate consequences. Through the portrayal of such characters, the play induces reflection on the complexities of human morality and the consequences of prioritizing personal gains over ethical decisions. 

There are many occasions within the play that characters are acting conventionally. The characters are trying to retain group acceptance. The first example of conventional characters is the group of girls. They said “we danced” in the woods even though Abby drank blood to summon demons to kill Elizabeth Proctor. All the girls said they danced because they wanted to be accepted by Abby and save her from being hanged on suspicion of witchcraft. Secondly, Mary Warren acts in a way to gain group acceptance when she states that she will “hurt you never more” to Abby after outing her in court about the affair she had with John Proctor. By saying that, she hoped to be accepted by the girls and more importantly Abby once again. Lastly, when John Proctor said he will “think on it”, he was avoiding being ostracized by the village for lechery. Even though Proctor not confessing is killing 12 people, Proctor wants to keep his name and reputation clean within the village and by confessing he would throw all of that away. In conclusion, multiple instances throughout the play depict characters behaving conventionally as they seek to maintain group acceptance. The collective pursuit of societal acceptance shapes the actions of these characters, marking the prevalent influence of conformity within the play. 

The final moral precept is post conventional. A few characters act post conventionally in the play. Being post conventional means you internalize a value system that is not influenced by punishment, reward, or group acceptance. The first example of a post conventional character is John Proctor when he confessed that he “[has] known her”. He knew that he would be ostracized by the village, but he knew that it would save his wife’s life. The second character that acted in a manner without being influenced by punishment or group acceptance is Elizabeth Proctor when she said to Danforth “No sir” when asked if her husband a lecher. She knew that John had an affair with Abigail Williams, but she wanted to save her husband from the guilt and humiliation of being a lecher. She sacrificed her eternal soul to get her husband out of trouble in the mortal life. Lastly, when John Hale said he “quit this court”, he gave up his status and influence on the community because he believes that the court is corrupt. He thinks that what he has done is right for the people of the village. In conclusion, the final moral precept, post-conventional, is exemplified by select characters in the play. Acting in a post-conventional manner signifies the internalization of a value system that transcends the influence of punishment, reward, or group acceptance. These characters navigate their moral choices based on an independent and principled foundation, illustrating the evolution and complexity of ethical considerations in the play. 

In summary, understanding the characters in The Crucible and their behaviors is best achieved by referencing Kohlberg’s three moral stages. These stages, developed over a lifetime through neurological growth, include preconventional, conventional, and post-conventional phases. Importantly, individuals do not discard previous stages upon reaching a new one; instead, they build upon them. Kohlberg’s model offers valuable insights into odd human behavior, providing a framework to make sense of actions that may initially appear confusing. 

-Jesse Darling