Throughout the play, people are accused of being witches when they really are not. Girls become liars and people become evil. Everyone wants to live, but they must stay true to themselves. Some lie, some tell the truth, and other, like John Proctor want to “keep his name,” rather than sell his soul. Most of the characters are aware of the fact that all the girls are lying, and the ones convicted tried to speak up, but they’re not heard. Instead of blackening their name and who they are, they die. “Because it’s my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies.” These people being hanged are good Christians and rather than lying to live, they tell the truth and are executed for it. Their names and identity is more important than their life.

Apology and forgiveness are similar. When the girls are accused of seeing the devil and dancing, they quickly apologize and ask to be forgiven by god. “I want to open myself! I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I got back to Jesus; I kiss his hand.” Abigail wants to ruin the identity of everyone she dislikes. She makes up names and many people die because of these tales. John and Elizabeth Proctor are two characters that apologize to one another and ask for their forgiveness. “”John, it came to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself. It is not my soul, John, it is yours.” The characters need to know that they are forgiven. They feel comfort in knowing they’ve been given forgiveness. In the quote, Elizabeth mentions that it’s not her soul, it’s John’s. It’s his identity to do with what he chooses.

The characters are all Christians and they know, “if they ask for forgiveness, they’ll be forgiven.” Everyone in The Crucible seems to have lost their identity for awhile. The girls for example, lose themselves in their cry for witchcraft. Abigail eventually sees she’s hurt someone she loves. She tries to apologize to Proctor, but he does not forgive her. She loses sight of who she is and what she wants. She ruined the lives of everyone and no degree of an apology would cause them to forgive her.

At the end of the play, John Proctor admits to witchcraft, but steals the paper he signed to protect his name. He realizes his identity is who he’s remembered as. If he ruins his identity, he lives, but nobody would view him as the honest John Proctor anymore. He is hanged because of who he wants to remembered as. He apologizes for getting his family caught up in his mess and the only way for him to feel truly forgiven, is to tell the truth and hang because of his true identity. Elizabeth loves him and forgives him more than ever once he’s taken to be hanged. She saw who he really was then. His apology was his death and his wifes forgiveness was her tears. “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take that from him!”

This may sound nerdy, but…school is one of my favorite places. I love learning about new and exciting things. English is probably my favorite subject and someday I hope to become an elementary teacher. I simply love writing because there’s always something to say. Everyones opinions need to be heard or life would be quite dull.

I’ve learned that life can be very hard. People will walk out on you, break your heart, stab you in the back, and pretend they’re something they’re not. Everyone learns this lesson over and over in life and I believe it’s essential in order to grow and find yourself. Even though we struggle, we always have those few friends and family members that never leave your side. They’re our support systems…..the ones who hold our lives together when they’re starting to fall apart.

-KK