John Proctor of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, is an upright and blunt-spoken character. He is well respected in Salem, and Judge Danforth attempts to use this to the court's advantage. By confessing to witchcraft, Proctor would give the court legitimacy, but would go against what he thinks is right. He almost succumbs to Danforth's requests, even signing a written confession. In the end, however, Proctor tears up this confession because he sees some goodness within himself. He refuses to give the court a written confession, which would validate what Danforth has done.
John Proctor knows he is a sinner and judges himself harshly. It is this opinion he holds of himself that causes him to sign the confession. Proctor admits this to his wife when he says, "my honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before. (Arthur 136)." He signs the confession to save his life because it would be hypocritical to die as if he were as pure as Rebecca Nurse or as fearsome as Giles Corey. By the end of the play, however, he decides, "I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor (144)." In seeing this goodness, he rips up the confession and is hanged redeemed of his earlier sins.
Spite keeps John Proctor from signing the confession, then spite causes him to tear it up. Proctor does not want to confess, thus giving Danforth what he wants. This is shown when Proctor encourages Rebecca to "give them no tear! Tears pleasure them! Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it (144)!" He knows that Danforth intends to use his name as testimony of the court's legitimacy, and nail Proctor's confession to the church door. When Proctor will not give up the signed confession, Danforth claims he must have legal proof of the affirmation. Knowing better, Proctor says, "you will not use me! It is no part of salvation that you should use me (143)!" He wants to save his name from being used to show the town that the court got John Proctor to confess.