Study Questions
1. What does Hale plead with Elizabeth to do?

2. Why does Hale believe a lie would not be a sin in this case?

3. Why is Hale so adamant in his attempts to convince Elizabeth?

4. Have any of the other prisoners confessed?

5. What reason does John give for not confessing?

6. What further reason keeps John from confessing?

7. What has John decided to do before he sees Elizabeth?

8. What does Elizabeth advise him to do?

9. How has Elizabeth changed?

10. What reason does John have for not telling the truth and going to his death?

Answers
1. Hale pleads with Elizabeth to convince John to lie.

2. Hale believes that no principle can justify the taking of a life.

3. Hale feels he will be responsible for John’s death.

4. Elizabeth tells John that a hundred or more people have confessed and gone free.

5. John states that he does not want to give a lie to dogs.

6. To confess is to go along with the majority and give up his individual identity.

7. John has decided to confess when he meets with Elizabeth.

8. Elizabeth will not advise him either way. She knows he must decide for himself.

9. Elizabeth has realized that she, too, is at fault and that she cannot be John’s judge.

10. John feels unworthy to die the death of a martyr since he has not lived up to his own moral standard.