Arthur Miller creates his character, John Proctor, to portray an honest outspoken individual. In his book, The Crucible, which took place in 1962, Proctor, is the protagonist. Abigail Williams is desperately in love with John, even though he wants nothing to do with her, because his sins of adultery have pulled them apart. She lies to the town about seeing the devil, and there being witchcraft and John thinks she should be hung. John Proctor is a hero because he speaks out for what he believes, even if the end result is death. Arthur Miller shows how even though John has sinned he is still a tangible puritan who speaks for what he believes in. As a puritan, an obligation to god is essential in their lifestyle. To fulfill his obligation he must push Abigail out of his life. The conflict is Abigail is hopelessly in love with John. For example, "I cannot sleep for dreamin'; I cannot dream but I wake and walk about the house as though I'd find you comin' through some door" (23). Abigail assumes John is still in love with her, and she waits for him to come back. John speaks his mind openly by saying he loves his wife, and that Abigail is being foolish just like a child. At night, John approaches Judge Danforth to inform him of the girls actions. "For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud-God damns our kind especially- (119-20). The citizens, along with Danforth, follow the laws of the bible, and do only what it says is right. John speaks out against court and says they are wrong for their methods of trial, and that the bible is wrong for condemning innocent people to death. He still wants to look to god for the truth, because god knows and sees all. John is striving for people to see reality, and will go to any extent to achieve it.
John wants god to help him find the truth, to prove to the reverend and the town's people that the girls are all a fraud.
