This essay seeks to give readers a deeper comprehension of the characters in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. The reader may become confused by the way these people behave. Kohlberg’s moral perceptions, however, might help one comprehend the motivations underlying each character’s actions. This article will look at Kohlberg’s three categories and utilize them to determine each person’s motivation. Pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional are these categories.
There are pre-conventional characters within the Crucible. Pre-conventional characters behave in such a way that allows them to not be punished and obtain reward. The first example of a character that acts in a way to avoid being punished is Sarah Good. It becomes clear that “Sarah Good confessed” to witchcraft when Mary Warren reports on it, demonstrating her preconventional nature and allowing her to avoid being executed. Abigail Williams is another one who exhibits these traits. She wants to be rewarded for taking out a needle from her stomach and saying that “it [was Elizabeth Proctor’s] familiar spirit [that] pushed it in.” Abigail things that Elizabeth will be hanged and that she will be able to replace Elizabeth beside John by telling the everyone that cody Proctor used witchcraft. She demonstrates her pre-conventional thinking by lying.And lastly, Paris. When he has a dagger in his door and says “There is danger for me,” he shows pre-conventional thinking. Kohlberg’s first precept is showed by him, who becomes anxious to escape the retribution that will come to him after persecuting Salem’s most notable citizens. He knows that he will become a target. In The Crucible, a number of characters take actions in order to get rewards and escape punishment.
In addition to those who exemplify the first and second commandments of Kohlberg, The Crucible contains post-conventional characters. People who behave in this way have an internalised sense of right and wrong that is unaffected by rewards, penalties, or social approval. Elizabeth Proctor is one such figure. When she is questioned by John Hale before her arrest, it is evident how unconventional she is. “If you think that I am one, then I say there are none,” she says in response to Hale’s question on whether or not she believes in witches. Elizabeth’s refusal to lie about the existence of witches when she doesn’t think they exist is demonstrated by this statement. She doesn’t mind saying or acting in a way that she believes is correct and she is seen as a post conventical character.
John Proctor is also evident when he chooses to be hung for witchcraft and decides to delete the confession he has signed. Proctor answers Hale’s assertion that he cannot accomplish this and that he will die, saying, “I can.” John clearly does not aspire to be accepted by the group because he would sooner die than be rewarded with a life spared by deception, as seen by his rejection of Hale’s assertions. Readers can see that John is a post-conventional figure based on his statement. Giles Corey is another person who has similar beliefs. This logic is demonstrated by Giles when he is “pressed” to name the one who gave him important information. “More weight” is what Giles says twice when he is being tortured. This declaration demonstrates Giles’ willingness to die in defence of his beliefs and his inability to be persuaded by rewards, punishments, or social approval. Miller’s play features characters with a strong sense of right and wrong that is unaffected by rewards, punishments, or social approval, as demonstrated by the people who came before them.
In addition to pre-conventional characters, The Crucible also has conventional. Such behaviour is when a person acts a certain way in order to have acceptance and approval of people. John Proctor is an illustration of a traditional character. When discussing their affair with the minor Abigail, he demonstrates similar logic. When Abigail says that they touched and got to know one another, John says, “Ay but we didn’t,” letting her know that he won’t acknowledge anything that happened between them verbally. He becomes a conventional character as a result, doing this to keep his reputation as a good man and to blend in with the “pure” Christian community. shown by John Hale. when speaking of Reverend Parris in response to Jsohn Proctor’s concerns regarding his holiness. Hale replies, “The man’s ordained, therefore the light of God is in him”. Hale wishes to fit into the majority and not question the Reverend’s purity since it might disturb peace, even if he himself does not trust Parris. Hale’s reasoning is categorized as conventional since he wants to remain passive in order to be acceptedAnother character that acts in this fashion is Ezekiel Cheever. he says to John, “You know yourself I must do as I’m told”. Within this statement, we see that Cheever will do anything, even drag a friend’s wife to jail, to fit in with those around him. By compromising his morals to be seen as competent by his peers, it is clear that Cheever has a conventional way of thinking.By these examples you can see they all are pre-conventional.
This essay has demonstrated how several characters in The Crucible acted in an odd and possibly perplexing way. Nevertheless, their logic has emerged by analysing a quotation from each character and dissecting their motivations. Kohlberg is therefore a great help to the reader in comprehending both the play and human nature in general. Giving a deeper understanding of the literature and people discovered within it is what this paper aimed to do.
