Deceit In The Crucible Essay

Arthur Miller develops many themes in his novel The Crucible , unveiling them through conflicts that the characters created between themselves. Perhaps the most prominent theme was deceit and its connection to the conflict with Abigail and John. Lying is used in order to achieve personal gain, because of this Abigail lies to everyone in the town for her own selfish needs.
Lying can also be used as a defense mechanism which is what John illustrates throughout the story. Firstly, John Proctor recently had an affair on her wife with a servant of his: Abigail
Williams. Even seven months after the affair has occurred, things between him and his wife
Elizabeth were still tense and awkward. At one point John is confronted when he is how Abigail
is

Consequently, John is not alone when it came to deceit, though it’s clear that Abigail had a different goal in mind when doing so. When the little girl Betty pretends to be cast under some spell and cannot wake, Tituba is accused of putting her under said spell. Abigail accuses her of witchcraft, implying that Tituba “sends her spirit on [Abigail] in church” and “makes [her] laugh at prayer” implying Tituba is capable of witchcraft, lying for no other reason then to get the people of Salem to start believing every word she says in order for her to lie her way into marrying John Proctor or getting Elizabeth killed (Miller 150).
Finally when it is time to lie for good purpose and reason, John refuses to due to the fact that he is required to sign his name away. In order to avoid the rope, John must confess to witchcraft and sign his name onto a document which proves he confessed. Though his wife
Elizabeth and Reverend Hale both implore him to give the court the lie that they want to