On the morning of August 19, John Proctor was hanged for being a witch. He had used his magic to compel the witches into believing that they did not do witchcraft, and that they had been lying to the court. Along with this, there were rumors of him having an affair with Abigail Williams, one of the bewitched. These rumors had not been proven by the court. Nonetheless, Proctor had been accused for his involvement with witchcraft, and his execution was conducted without any delay.
What
would you have done in his situation? Proctor’s choice was not an easy
one to decide. For some, it may have been an obvious choice, but Proctor’s
integrity was at stake here. If he were to have chosen to confess, his
standards of morality would have been shattered into a million pieces. Proctor
would’ve had to live the rest of his life with no guide to follow, no rules to
adhere to. Would he still have the honor to hold up his head in public?
Nonetheless, his decision will most likely be noted as one of the most memorable
points during these turbulent times.
-Justin Choi