The Crucible: Movie and Book Analysis

The film The Crucible follows the book version very closely. The characters were very well portrayed in the movie, John Proctor and Abigail in particular. The storyline was also followed very closely. The actors and actresses did a very good job with making the movie seem very realistic. Aside from the fact that the movie and the book had many parallels, I have a favorite character as well. John Proctor was definitely my favorite character in both the book and movie, simply because he goes through such a drastic change in beliefs when he gets caught up in Abigail's lies.
John Proctor didn't want to have anything to do with the Salem witch trials in the start. He had had an affair with Abigail, and he knew he wanted nothing to do with her anymore. He still loved his wife very much, of course, so he got pulled in when she was accused of witchcraft. At the point when John Proctor's wife was accused John Proctor knew Abigail was lying about the witchcraft going on in Salem villiage.

At the point in which John Proctor figured out Abigail was lying, he still didn't want to get too involved in the witch trials. He simply thought Abigail was "playing games" and he probably didn't think she would be able to carry her game too far. However, once scheduling for hangings started, John Proctor knew he had to do something. He knew that no one could take his word for it, so he confessed to adultery to try and prove himself more trustworthy, and to clear his conscience.

Abigail could have taken the Salem witch trials much farther than they had gone, but she pushed her lies too far too fast. People started to suspect she was telling lies when people like Reverend Hale started asking for some solid proof. Her credibility was also greatly lowered when Mr. Parris mentioned he had caught the girls dancing in the woods not too long ago. Abigail became a sort of outcast towards the end of the story, and no one wanted to be around her anymore. Not even John wanted to live with her, who died to save his name.

Overall I liked The Crucible in both the book form and the film. John Proctor overcame huge emotional obstacles, and eventually figured out that it is best to die and keep truthful to your name. He had the option of saving himself by admitting to a crime he did not commit, and he almost did. His wife Elizabeth knew that he would rather keep his good name than his life, and she too. "Our Father in Heaven, let your holy name be known…"