Thinker,
planner, doer, or helper, these simple categories fit very well to the
characters of the novel. In The Crucible,
there are many different types, or colors of characters. Each has their own set
of characteristics, which makes them act the way they do.
To
begin, the most notable character to categorize is Abigail. Abigail in my
opinion is definitely a thinker. She knows exactly what she needs to do in
order to keep herself safe from getting in trouble. Abigail is so afraid to get
into trouble, she will do anything to blame it on other people, almost to a
point she does not even believe she did anything. In act II, we find out from Mary
that someone has accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. We later find out from
Elizabeth’s assumption it was Abigail. Abigail
thought out that if she not only got herself of the hook for dancing in the
woods and cursing Betty, but she could also get rid of Elizabeth do she could
have Mr. Procter back again (Miller 59-60). This kind of rig that Abigail pulls
is the reason she is a thinker.
Additionally,
Betty, although does not have much action, also has a very notable category she
falls under. I think Betty is very much so a thinker, and also a planner. She
knew that since her father saw them in the woods that night, they would end up getting
in trouble. Due to this, I think she is faking her own bewitched state. By
doing this she will not get in trouble, embarrass herself, or upset her father.
She pretends to be in a bewitched state, and everything happens around her, so
she know what is going on, and when she can awaken again. She also is a planner
for these same reasons. She even pops up sometimes to give them more of a
reason to believe her. When the townspeople are downstairs in her home, and
they sing the words “going up to Jesus,” she awakens and proceeds to scream so
everyone knows she is not well (Miller 24). This keeps the belief in the
people, until Betty and the girls are off the hook.
Finally,
the last character that really stood out to be as having a distinct “color” is John
Proctor. I believe that John is a doer. He does not think about how the
consequences of his actions will affect him and the people around him. He just
does what he thinks is right in the moment. We first see this proven in the first
act. We discover that John and Abigail had an affair. He did not think that his
wife would find out, and he did not think about what Abigail would do if he
suddenly broke it off (Miller 22-24). This goes on in several other minor roles
in the novel, and I think will continue to go on later in the novel.
Overall,
the novel has very colorful characters that can be put in these categories, but
all in all they all have a little bit of all of them. These traits play a major
role in the people they are, actions they take, and their role in the story.
Miller, Arthur. The
Crucible. New York, NY:
Penguin, 1996. Print.
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