Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

A crucible has two definitions: 1) a container made of a substance that can resist great heat and 2) a severe test or trial. In The Crucible, John Proctor is representative of both of these definitions because of the situations that he must overcome and the people that he has to deal with. Abigail Williams, the ringleader of the “possessed” children, is the source of Proctor’s problems, and it is his challenge to attempt to win the battle against her and the unrelenting town. John Proctor can be considered to be a very strong man. He is one of the few people in the town that refuses to believe that the children are actually possessed, and he shows no fear of expressing this belief to the courts and to the people of the village. “They’re pretending, Mr. Danforth!” (Miller, 115) At this point, Abby and Susanna Walcott continue saying things such as, “Mary, don’t come down” and “She’s stretching her claws!” (115) where after, Proctor immediately responds by declaring that they are lying. Throughout the course of the trial John persistently insists that the girls are liars; however, he cannot convince the court of this truth. There are many other instances in the play that display John as a