To better understand characters in the Crucible and their motivation for behavior, one must only refer to Kohlberg’s Moral Precepts for explanations. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development outlines three main stages: pre conventional, conventional, and post conventional. By analyzing the actions and choices of the characters, it becomes clear that their behaviors correspond to the three stages, illuminating their moral reasoning and motivations—from self-preservation, to conformity, and finally, to a commitment to their own values.
There are many pre-conventional characters found in the Crucible. Pre-conventional characters behave in a way to maximize reward and/or minimize punishment with no regard for group acceptance or personal values. The first pre conventional character to discuss is betty goodman. While Governor Parris and the girls are talking about going out into the woods and dancing, she makes a pretense of being asleep. Betty is acting like she is asleep in order to escape being hanged or whipped to death, which demonstrates pre-conventional behavior. While Betty manages to evade punishment and blend in with the group, Act 1, Scene 3, the calling-out scene, features the statement, “I saw George Jacobs with the devil.” Betty uses the girls’ words to her advantage to get out of her penalty and obtain a reward. Another example of a preconventional character is John Proctor. John proctor is A dishonest man who had an affair with Abigail Williams. He tells lies to maintain his high standing in the village and avoid being held accountable for his affair. He makes himself and Abigail believe he did not have an affair because he is so worried about what other people will think of him and his wife: “But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby”. My final example of a pre-conventional character found in Aruth millers play the crucible is Tituba. Tituba falsely confesses to plotting with the devil and claims to have seen others with him under the prospect of harsh punishment from Parris, who threatened to “whip [her] to [her] death” if she did not confess. She understands that she can save herself from execution if she gives them what they want to hear. Tituba decides to make up her confession to escape the lethal consequences of her situation.
There are many characters in the Crucible that are conventional. Conventional behavior is when you behave in a way that suggests you want group acceptance and to fit into that group. The first conventional character to be discussed is Mary Warren. In an attempt to protect herself, she often behaved like the other girls. Mary finally acknowledged that what she was doing was dishonest. She said that “everyone cried, spirits, spirits!” and felt compelled to participate in the group’s lies. although she ends up lying again later in this scene, saying that John Proctor is the devil’s man to fit back into the girls group. Another character that is conventional is Elizabeth Proctor. Her husband John Proctor’s statement that “She has never lied” suggests that. Elizabeth thinks of herself as a strong Christian woman because she believes this to be the case. Her goal is to be the village’s most devoted person. She thus provides solid proof that she is a good Christian and will blend in with the group of good Christian ladies if it is assumed that she has never lied in her life. The Crucible features many characters that are best characterized as conventional, My finial conventional character from the crucible is Thomas Putnam. Thomas Putnam is another example of a conventional character. His conformist behavior is evident when he manipulates Parris by saying, “Don’t you understand it, sir? There is a murdering witch among us…” Faced with the mysterious deaths of his seven children, Putnam deflects Parris’ suspicions by attributing the tragedies to witchcraft. This behavior underscores Putnam’s adherence to conventional thinking, driven by his fear that he and his wife might be suspected of witchcraft themselves. Consequently, he promotes the notion of witchcraft and urges Parris to endorse the witchcraft allegations, “The Crucible” features numerous characters who exhibit conventional behavior.
Apart from pre-conventional and conventional characters, post-conventional characters are also included in The Crucible. Post-conventional behavior is when one develops their own set of morals and is no longer swayed by punishment, reward, or external opinions. The first post-conventional character is Elizabeth Proctor is the initial illustration of a post-conventional character. Elizabeth gives an example of this when she perjures herself in court and responds, “No, sir,” when asked if John Proctor, her husband, had engaged in lechery. Elizabeth’s actions demonstrate how she developed her own moral principles by putting her marriage and spouse above her integrity. The consequences of lying under oath or the opinions of others did not influence her choice to stand up for John. My second post conventional character is John hale. John hale demonstrates this by announcing in public that he “quits this court,” he walks out of the chamber without giving it any thought. The court was unquestioningly accepting the statements of young girls who were fabricating stories about people being possessed and locking up innocent individuals without providing any concrete proof. Hale desired to stop interacting with the court because he was dissatisfied with the injustice. He could not have departed a high-status position at that time if he had been terrified of penalty, reward, or group acceptability. My final example of a post-conventional character in Aruthur millers play the crucible is John Proctor. John proctor who boldly tells the town’s minister, the highest theocratic authority, that he “hardly mentions God anymore.” Such a provocative statement risks damaging his reputation or even provoking retribution from the minister himself.
“The Crucible” serves as a prime illustration of how Kohlberg’s moral stages reflect different phases of life, demonstrating that each level of behavior—pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional—builds on the one before it. A critical analysis of the play is essential to avoid misinterpretations of behaviors that might initially appear irrational. The characters are distinctly human; their actions are authentically flawed yet perfectly representative of real-world thoughts and experiences.
