Question

4. What makes Reverend Parris an antagonist in The Crucible?

A. He tries to help John Proctor prove Elizabeth Proctor's innocence.

B. He gets the witch trials started, which puts innocent lives in danger.

C. He is concerned about his daughter, Betty, and her friends.

D. He is greedy and disliked by many of the people in the town.

Answer 1

Reverend Parris in The Crucible is an antagonist because he is instrumental in the initiation of the witch trials, endangering innocent lives due to his concerns over reputation, and because he is portrayed as greedy and generally disliked in the town.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reverend Parris is considered antagonist in The Crucible largely due to his role in promulgating the hysteria of the witch trials in Salem. Parris contributes to the tragic events and the endangerment of innocent lives. He initiates the witch trials because he is concerned about his reputation and position in the community more than the truth or the well-being of others. His actions put innocent lives in danger, as he supports the trials and allows himself to be swayed by the panic and fear in the town. This aligns with option B from the provided choices, as he gets the witch trials started.

Additionally, Reverend Parris is depicted as a greedy and disliked character in Salem, aligning with option D. His concern for his own wealth and standing among the townspeople overshadows any moral duty he has to his congregation or family.

Answer 2

The correct answer is D: He is greedy and disliked by many of the people in the town.

Reverend Samuel Parris is the major protagonist in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible". The play is partially inspired by the Salem Witch trials and was used as an allegory for the Red Scare that happened during the Cold War in the 1960s. Reverend Parris is more concerned about his reputation. His daughter, Betty, is sick on the bed, and nobody knows what is wrong with her. Betty should be his number one concern, but instead, it is his image and reputation among the people of Salem. By the end of the play, Reverend Parris is thoroughly exposed as the sniveling parasite that he is.