Selfishness In The Crucible

Things like jealousy, selfishness or peer pressure often lead to faulty situations. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller you can see how even in the play, they get into these mishaps.Victor Hugo says “Society is a republic. WHen an individual tries to lift themselves above others, they are dragged down by the masses, either by ridicule or slander.” This quote is referring to everyday situations where you feel as if you must feel higher than someone else. Weather it be selfishness, jealousy or peer pressure all lead up to wanting to be better than someone. By wanting to be better than someone. If you ever find yourself in a unhappy spot , and thought about it would it have to do with jealousy, selfishness, or peer pressure. The examples I will be
Every character had their battle with one of the three things. Abigail and Proctor's relationship was based on jealousy of Elizabeth. “John-I am waitin’ for you every night” said Abigail. That shows that she wasn't willing to give him up even when he explained he wanted to be with his wife. Than Betty says “You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!” Abigail wants Goody Proctor dead so he would go back to her. She was willing to do anything to make herself better. Selfishness is something common in this play. Like Parris who thought he was better than everyone else just because he was the priest. He believes that all the people should be bringing him firewood instead of him getting it himself. He says “Speaking of jobs you’re supposed to do: where is my firewood?” Parris then goes on to compare himself to a homeless person “I’ve been walking to church with frozen fingers like a homeless person. He talks about how he's better than that and he deserves more he should have to waste his time nor money of firewood as he say “I think that six dollars is part of my salary-you hardly pay me anything! I shouldn't have to spend what little money I get on firewood.” As Abigail is discussing this big lie , she tells the girls if they don't play along she would kill them “Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” So all the girls are pressured into this lie and whether or not to tell the truth. When it comes to court day Mary contemplates to tell the truth or not “I cannot , they’ll turn on me.” she was right when she tries to tell the truth but the girls find a way to turn it on her by telling the judge and people in the room she's the witch.