The Crucible Group

Question:

shooshi
shooshi
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In The Crucible: how important is it that individuals have faith in themselves if they are to resist oppression?

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Posted by shooshi on Saturday April 19, 2008 at 10:11 PM and tagged with characters, morals, the crucible, themes.

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  1. renelane Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    Individual strength is crucial to stay strong in the face of hysteria in Salem. John Proctor's faith in himself is returned by his refusal to confess to something he did not do. He will lose his life for it, but his faith in himself is more important to him.

    Elizabeth Proctor has faith in God and her husband in staying strong and supporting his decision to refuse to confess. The state of his soul is more important than whether he lives another day. She has found her husband and their marriage again, even as he is sentenced to die.

    Giles Corey's faith carries him through hours of torture until his death. He refuses to participate, and is slowly crushed by the weight of the stones. He allows his faith to give him the strength to endure, and this is evidenced by his last words "more weight".

    Rebecca Nurse also relies on her faith and strength of character, when she refuses, as John Proctor does, to confess to something she did not do. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/crucible/characters

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    Posted by renelane on Sunday April 20, 2008 at 7:24 AM