The Good and the Bad

            Commonly, God is thought of as our protector, somebody who looks down upon us and protects his people from the horrors of life. If this is true, however, then why do things such as the Holocaust, slavery, war, and even the Salem witch trials happen? In the case of the Jews, some believed that they were the "chosen ones," and were suffering through the Holocaust in order to deepen their faith, or so that they would realize how precious life can be. For others, however, a terrible event such as this can destroy their faith in God altogether. Throughout The Crucible, erroneous statements about God, his will, and what he does to those who are not perfect Christians, are made. Although the people who make these statements believe that they are correct, they actually discredit themselves and the name of God. In The Crucible, it seems as though God is nonexistent because of all the unnecessary death that occurs throughout the story; death he is supposed to provide protection from.
             As Reverend Hale is introduced into the story, he is made out to be the savior of the town of Salem. Parris invites him to come and find the devil that is supposedly present in the town, and rid the people of any evil they may have been cursed with. He is especially hopeful that Hale will cure the inflicted girls of their, "illness." When Hale arrives, he believes himself to be almighty and powerful: almost Godly. His unbelievable confidence leads him to believe that he is helping the people of the town by naming people who have been affected by Satin. Referring to the devil, Hale says, "Have no fear now- we shall find him out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face" (39). This overconfident attitude of Reverend Hale leads him to make more conclusions than he should, resulting in the mass hysteria throughout Salem. As a reverend, Hale is a messenger of God on earth, and he certainly does not do a good job.