Pressure In The Crucible Essay

Peer pressure is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to escape and overcome. Even more so when one is in a small, remote community. People are more prone to submit to a situation when peer pressure is applied by those you know and respect, as could be seen in the infamous witch-trials that took place in Salem. In the book “The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller, Miller shows tjrough his characters three main reactions that take place when peer pressure is inflicted upon others. Miller uses the characters Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and John Proctor to show the effects of peer pressure, and how one would react in pressuring circumstances.

Abigail Williams uses the element of peer pressure upon other people within Salem to get what she wants,

This is shown during the court scene when Proctor pressured Mary into confession of faking being bewitched in court, and trying to get her to help him save other people 's lives, "I 'll murder you," he says, "if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court, he says!...Mary, God damns all liars,...She only pretended to faint, Your Excellency.” Throughout this scene, Proctor is constantly pressuring Mary to say what he wants her to say by telling her multiple times of the consequences for lying, as well as trying to speak for her in hopes that she will admit to faking. All the pressure from Proctor starts to cause Mary to freeze up and hesitate, making her nervous, which is why she is not able to fake fainting. Moreover, even more pressure is on Mary by the court: “You will confess yourself or you will hang! (He turns her roughly to face him.) Do you know who I am? I say you will hang if you do not open with me!”(III.483-487). Danforth starts pressuring Mary into confessing, and even threatening her to hang in order to intimidate her into confession. Constantly Proctor and Danforth are battling to gain pressure over Mary, resulting in her breaking down and submitting to Abigail - turning against Proctor “ He come at me by night and every day to sign, to sign, to—….My name, he want

For example, Elizabeth Proctor pressures him into admitting his infidelity, and right the wrong he has done, “ Then go and tell her she 's a whore. Whatever promise she may sense—break it, John, break it.” Elizabeth tries to pressure John into going to talk to Abigail in hopes that she would stop targeting her. Elizabeth also pressures John into telling the court about his infidelity with Abigail, which he hesitates and does not do, until act 3 when he goes to court. Even more pressure is inflicted upon John in court when Danforth tries to get John to sign his name in act 4, “You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba, I am John Proctor! You will not use me! It is no part of salvation that you should use me!” John refuses to give up his own name, standing up to their manipulating ways of pressuring him so that he may possibly rescue his friends that were accused. This act makes John heroic within the book, showing that he does not cower under pressure like Abigail and Mary. In conclusion, although John hesitates at first when peer pressure is against him, he will eventually stand up for what 's right, making him a hero within the