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Eva Rose
Mrs. Everett
Honors English 11.3
7 Oct. 2015

Arthur Millers The Crucible: The Instinct of Self Preservation

Early American Puritan society was filled with anxiety, as people were pressured to
live righteously while fearing uncertain damnation. Arthur Miller uses Puritan society in The
Crucible to illustrate how the weakness of human nature reveals itself in times of fear and
chaos, as people sacrifice their character and morality to survive mass hysteria. In the town
of Salem, witch trials and fear of accusation serve as a catalyst for certain characters to
sacrifice others for their own self-preservation, and to use socially sanctioned violence to
fulfill their own self-interests. Throughout the play, fear of unknown consequences becomes
one of the main motives behind individuals turning their backs on their morals. Miller uses
Reverend Parris, Tituba, and Mary Warren to demonstrate that it is human nature to do
whatever is necessary to appease those who hold our fates in their hands.
Throughout the play, Parriss need to protect his position as minister drives him to act
out of self-interest to appease the church and maintain his power. When Thomas Putnam
claims Betty is cursed by witchcraft, Parris tells him not to jump to conclusions because it
will tarnish his reputation and get him exiled from Salem (13). His selfishness is evident
when he is more troubled by the thought of losing his good name in the town than his
daughters deteriorating health. Parriss insecurity and concern with losing his reputation is
heightened once rumors of witchcraft start circulating. Parris, however, is swayed when

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Putnam says, Let you strike out against the Devil, and the village will bless you for it! (16).
Parris is influenced by the idea that he can use the rumors of witchcraft to solidify a sense of
security in his position. Although he is still apprehensive, he sees the prospect of his power in
the church being toppled as a possible opportunity to gain approval for doing Gods work. As
the trials continue, Parriss determination to keep a firm grip on his power causes him to act
purely out of his own self-interest. When Proctor goes to court to expose Abigail for accusing
people of witchcraft under false pretenses, he uses Parriss knowledge of seeing the girls
dancing naked in the woods to support his claim (97). Parris, while under pressure and
desperate to keep control of the situation, lies to the court by telling Danforth he never saw
the girls dancing (97). His duplicitous, self-preserving behavior is evident in that he gives
false information, impeding the process of justice being brought to those falsely accused. As
people start to lose faith in the courts good will, Parris loses his conviction in the witch-hunt.
After receiving death threats from angry villagers, he tells Danforth they cannot hang the
accused (119). He does this out of the fear of his own life, not because he suddenly feels guilt
for condoning the deaths of innocent people. Parriss character is a prime example of how
humans in a high position are prone to acting selfishly, when threatened with losing their
power.
Through the character Tituba, a slave, Miller illustrates how self-preservation is a
driving force in the actions of someone who has no control over their circumstances. Titubas
powerlessness and desperation to live forces her to lie about being the Devils agent, and tell
people what she knows will satisfy their preconceived suspicions. Because of her slave
status, Tituba knows she will be punished the most for every problem that arises in Reverend
Parriss house. When Abigail accuses Tituba of forcing witchcraft on her and Betty, Tituba

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confesses to giving the girls chicken blood, but tries to explain that she was manipulated and
had no intention of teaching them witchcraft (41). Her powerlessness leaves her with no say
in her fate, and she becomes desperate when she drops to her knees begging Reverend Parris
not to whip her to death (42). When faced with the ultimatum to confess to witchcraft or be
killed, Tituba has no other choice but to lie in order to save her life. When Reverend Hale
tells Tituba that her confession will save her from the Devils influence and she has been
chosen to help us cleanse our village (44) she takes advantage of the opportunity by telling
the church whatever they want to hear in hopes it will mitigate her punishment. Tituba is
placed under immense pressure to say the right thing as she is questioned. She plays off of
Parriss need to feel important and powerful when she says the Devil only used her to harm
him. Tituba emphasizes her loyalty to Parris by saying that she refused the Devils orders to
kill him, and his offer to free her (44) in hopes that it will please Parris. When Tituba gives
Hale names of people she claims she has seen with the Devil, it is evident that her
accusations of certain individuals are based on the others dislike for them. Tituba claims she
saw Sarah Good with the Devil (44), knowing she is an easy target, due to her disreputable
and marginalized reputation in Salem. Tituba also indulges Ann Putnams hatred for her
midwife, Goody Osburn, (44) when she accuses her of witchcraft, giving Ann someone to
blame for her miscarriages. Titubas confession and accusations were purely driven by her
desperation to not be hanged, regardless of the destructive effects it would have on the rest of
the town.
Mary Warrens desire to avoid punishment causes her to be easily manipulated and
controlled by those who are more powerful than her. Mary pleads with Abigail to confess her
lies to the church (18), knowing her actions will have destructive results. However, she is

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quickly silenced when Abigail threatens her, illustrating Marys inability to stand up for what
is morally right in the face of fear. Mary reveals her subordinate nature when she joins in on
the accusations with the other girls, after realizing it places her in a fleeting position of
power. Her sudden confidence quickly crumbles when Proctor commands Mary to tell the
court that Abigail has falsely accused his wife of witchcraft (75), causing Mary to express her
fear that the girls will turn on her for betraying them (76). Eventually, Mary goes to court and
confesses her dishonesty about the accusations when she says, I heard other girls screaming,
and you, Your Honor, you seemed to believe them, and I-- It were only sport in the
beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits, and I-- I promise you, Mr.
Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not (100). Her inability to withstand peer
pressure eclipses her morality, causing her to directly fuel the mass hysteria of the witchhunt. Marys effort to expose the treachery of the girls and Abigail quickly backfires as they
accuse her of witchcraft and Danforth believes them (101). Marys faltering moral conviction
shatters when she realizes she is completely powerless. She illustrates the weakness of the
human condition through her impulse to throw Proctor in harms way for her own benefit.
Despite knowing Proctor has good intentions, she accuses him of being the Devils man
(110) in order to deflect the blame onto him to save herself from being hanged.
Using the spectacle of witch trials, and the full spectrum of characterization, Arthur
Miller shows his lack of faith in human nature in a society based in fear. Parris, Tituba, and
Mary Warren all have different stations in life, but share a common, desperate attempt to save
themselves, regardless of how it affects others. The events of The Crucible expose the
fragility of the human character when confronted with the fear of death and damnation.

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Miller uses the setting of Early American Puritan society to reveal this common instinct as
relevant in todays society as it was in the mass hysteria of the Salem witch trials.

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Work Cited
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. 1953. London: Penguin, 2003. Print.