Selflessness And Selflessness In Arthur Miller's The Crucible

In 1692, nineteen men and women of Salem, Massachusetts were suspected under the crime of witchcraft and were sentenced to hang. These hangings came from the result of villagers blaming each other trying in order to save their own lives. Similarly, in the 1950s, McCarthyism and the Red Scare took on a similar outcome as the Salem Witch Trials; many people were wrongly convicted as Communists. However as time progressed, people became less concerned about saving themselves but began to protect one another from harm. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in the 1950s in order to relay the message that although humanity appears to selfishly protect their own interests, they eventually become selfless and serve justice. Through the use of description, Miller illustrates how John Proctor, Reverend Hale and Giles Corey transform from selfish to selfless. In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, John Proctor is a reputable man who despite conceals his unspeakable crimes, transforms to counter the

However as time progresses, people begin to understand that other people’s well-being is as important as their own. The Salem Witch Trials began when people started to suspect one another for being witches. Similarly this relates to present day 2015 where many Muslims and Middle-Eastern people are prosecuted for being terrorists. Hopefully over time, people will come to realize that not all people in a single race are susceptible of performing such crimes. In The Crucible, Miller uses description in the monologue and dialogue of different characters in order to portray people’s eventual change from selfish to selfless. He presents the transformation from selfishness to selflessness in the characters of John Proctor, Reverend Hale, and Giles Corey. Although humanity can appear to be bleak, it will eventually realize its faults and change for a better