Question

In the play, why do both Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale want John to confess toward the end?

a) To save his reputation
b) To protect his family
c) To preserve his soul
d) To avoid legal consequences

Answer 1

Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale want John Proctor to confess to save his soul, in keeping with Puritan beliefs in the importance of spiritual well-being and the threat posed by the devil.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale want John Proctor to confess toward the end of the play The Crucible to preserve his soul. Given that the context of the play is the Salem witch trials within a Puritan society, the spiritual condition of an individual is of utmost importance. Both Parris and Hale believe that a confession, even if coerced and untrue, may save John from the eternal consequences they believe accompany witchcraft and consorting with the devil. In the world of the play, this is a reflection of the Puritanical belief that the function of government is to protect the welfare of its people, including their spiritual well-being, as Puritans were intensely religious and believed strongly in the existence and threat of the devil, as evidenced by the witchcraft scare in Massachusetts Bay.