In the beginning of the play, Miller introduces the character John Proctor as an individual that remains unalterable with Proctors stance on honesty and integrity, unlike the narrow-minded Salem community. In Act I, Miller presents John Proctor as a bold man, standing up to hypocrites. Further on, Proctor argues with the Putnams and Reverend Parris due to bizarre accusations about witchcraft. Miller exhibits John Proctor’s indications that Putnam cannot chide the devil for his children’s deaths arguing. I see none dying. This society will be to be a bag to swing around your head, Mr. Putnam. This shows that John Proctor thinks rationally about other people’s actions. Proctor is standing up to egocentric Putnam because he is trying to get land for himself and also using the communitys hysteria as a weapon to achieve personal gains. This portrays his sharp and quick-witted persona and also displays the dangers of ideologies in Salem, in which the innocent is condemned for their land and the wealthy get wealthier. The quote also shows Proctor is confronting the Putnams towards blaming their misfortunes on witchcraft at the same time. The word swing shows that hysteria is being swung around Salem and people are accusing each other for their own good. Miller explores the power of hysteria as a contagious emotion that can tear a community apart. Through the ending of the quote bag to swing around your head, shows how Putnam can recklessly accuse innocent people in Salem,
also presenting how Putnam thinks the Salem community is at his disposal due to the influence he has in the church. This develops John Proctor as being a morally correct individual by not spreading hysteria. Following on, Proctor tells Putnam: Vote by name in this society, not by acreage. This shows that Proctor is demanding democracy and not who has the most land. Proctor’s democratic words show that everyone in Salem should have an equal stance because the corrupt individuals are the ones that are well off; while the morally veracious individuals such as Proctor are poorer. The word acreage presents the avaricious nature of Salem as certain characters exploit others and aim to prosper from the suffering of others, and Miller conveys how traditional social structures are overturned by accusations through it is the Devils fault that a man cannot say to you good morning without you clapping him for defamation?. Millers intentional derision created by Proctor signifies Proctors uncertainty about the claims of witchcraft as he says it is the devils fault that he cannot say good morning’ to Giles – which also mocks the fact that Parris and the others are using the devil as a scapegoat for bad events that happen in Salem. Also, the use of diabolic language such as devil in contrast to a positive greeting good morning in the same sentence could amplify the overall illogicalness of the situation such as 1950s America, as the hunt for communists presented illogical behavior.