The Crucible, by Arthur Miller is a play set in the sixteen nineties about the tragic witch hunts in Salem, Massachusetts. Two important characters in the book to focus on are John Proctor and John Hale. Both Hale and Proctor transform throughout the play because of the conflicts they are involved in.

John Proctor is an average puritan farmer in Salem who is faced with many internal conflicts. First we learn of his wife’s distrust of him because he committed adultery. He did not want to get involved with the witch trials because he thought they were nonsense. Only after his wife got arrested did he really start to pay attention to what was happening in the court. He soon then found himself being accused of witchcraft. John says " My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before."(136) He decides to confess and save his life rather than to die for a crime he didn’t do. As John starts to confess, he starts to cry because he can not allow his name to be blackened by having his confession officially documented by the court. John says, " because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life . . . How may I live without my name?”(143) John decides that he could not live with this lie. He chooses to be put to death with his honor than live with the shame of a falsehood. John demonstrated his integrity by believing in the puritan way even when it was a very difficult thing to do.

Another person dealing with conflicts is Reverend John Hale, a scholar on witchcraft. Reverend Hale says, “If she is truly in the Devil’s grip we may have to rip and tear to get her free.”(39) In the beginning Hale is absolutely positive that witchcraft is spreading throughout Salem. He has come to save Salem and he will not let anything get into his way. " I beg of you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess. Let him give his lie." (132) As the play gets farther along he begins to open his eyes and see that the people being sentenced are good, religious puritans. Hale then tries to pursued the people in jail to confess and have the charges dropped. By the end of the book Hale has changed from a religious puritan to someone who values life more than the puritan way of honesty.

Arthur Miller shows us that people are constantly changing due to different situations they are involved with. He also shows us that people are shaped by their reactions to these situations.