Convictions Over Comfort: John Proctor and John Lennon

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Throughout American history, many have suffered in order to fight for their beliefs. Rather that cowering when things get tough or accepting a loss, some people have decided to pursue their beliefs and fight for what they believe is right. Even though the situations that they lived through were different, John Proctor from Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and John Lennon fought for what they believed in and suffered for it. Instead of turning their backs, both men decided that their beliefs were worth fighting for. John Proctor was portrayed in “The Crucible” as a respected man living during the Salem Witch Trails. He was ultimately hung because he refused to sign his name to put on the church door that he was a witch. He would rather die than live a lie. John Lennon, on the other hand was a famous music artist who was most noted for his part in the “Beatles,” a highly influential band of the 1960s. At this time, he and his second wife Yoko Ono were well known for their anti-war beliefs and …show more content…

One of the most prominent traits of which they shared was that both men were highly respected and very influential within their communities. As said by Louis Kaplan, John Lennon had many fans and followers with his peace movements (Kaplan). The reason Lennon had so many followers and supporters was mainly due to his musical success and fame in which he used to spread his beliefs (Kaplan). John Proctor on the other hand, was highly respected because of his strong leadership skills and relationships within Puritan society. In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” it is said that “In Proctor’s presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly,” showing his self-importance and knowledge when presenting himself. He had an even temper and was not easily pulled into the direction of other’s beliefs (Miller 175). Because of their high societal importance, their untimely deaths caused a great amount of upset throughout

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