The "Modern" Day Puritan

     As far as "modern" day Puritans go, I don't believe they exist but I do believe some of their views and ideas still exist today in our society. Though our society has immensely changed Puritan-like values seem to somewhat still guide our moral judgements. Puritan attitiudes influence how we treat and judge others, and how we go about our daily lives.
     Many of these ideas are present in religion, school, and even our households. In some religions in today's society, not going to church is looked down upon. John Proctor's relationship with God was questioned in The Crucible because he didn't attend church like everyone else in Salem. Also in society education has become one of the most important subjects. Puritans that had authoritative positions or were scholars were looked at as the most high. They were seen as better than the standard Puritan like in today's society as more is expected of scholars and people with master's degrees and PhD's. These people are sometimes seen better than others in our society as they might be thought of as accomplishing more. Even in our housholds, things still seem to be strict and we're held to high standards by our parents. Today, are parents expect the most of us and only the best. They want us to be the doctors and lawyers they are or weren't. We may not be what the Puritans were or lived like they did but their lifestyle continues to shape our society and maybe for the better.

"John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?"

     Some may argue whether John Proctor is a hero or stooge but I believe John is undoubtedly a hero. Of course it's easy to take the road everyone else is taking but it takes a brave and courageous man to take the road less taken. But put yourself in Proctor's shoes... choosing to lie and confess or deny and be hung is a dilemma that has consequences on both ends of the stick. On one end you can lie or atleast that's what everyone else in Salem was doing. But as a Puritan it is unholy and it contradicts what the Puritans as a whole believe and the idea of theocracy. Now you have to confess to being involved with witchcraft and the entire village will know it. On the other end you can deny the accusations that have been placed on you but losing your life is practically your one and only option. Yes, atleast you have your pride but is keeping your pride worth losing your life? Probably one of the few questions John had to ask himself while making his decision.
     You might say John should have lied and blamed others like everyone had advised him to but to John it was not worth it. Signing the paper that stated he was involved with witchcraft meant ruining his reputation and name. It was obvious from the beginning that Proctor had a somewhat good reputation. Confessing to adultery was hard enough as that could have ruined his reputation. Lying was something John couldn't do, as a Puritan, husband, and father. John couldn't possibly ruin his family name. So if lying wasn't an option, that only left him to deny the accusations. But maybe denying what isn't true isn't that bad after all. At the end of the day you still have your pride because ultimately that's what it will boil down to.

"Arrivals... There goes the neigborhood."

   Prior to the Europeans arrival to America, the U.S. was inhabited by indigenous tribes known as Native Americans, or "Indians". The Indian tribes expanded from coast to coast and introduction to horses allowed them to move rapidly and made them nomadic. But what could of been a peaceful existence between the Indians and Europeans quickly transformed into a violent conflict. European settlers began to inhabit the Atlantic Coast so Indian tribes moved westward but the Europeans followed them west. Many might say that the Indians weren't welcoming or didn't allow for coexistence but let's view it from the Indians point of view...
     You are a Indian living in America and Europeans begin to settle on what is your land. You don't mind coexisting with these other people but then they start to force you off of your land and claim it as their own causing war. They tell you that you can remain on the land but only on what wasn't marked as U.S. territory. Now let's view it from the Europeans point of view...
     You are an European settler that finds America as a great place to settle. Though Indians are inhabited there, you find the land useful for agriculture and settlement.  Instead of peacefully coexisting with these Indians, you rather force them off their land and claim it as your own.
     Besides these two groups of people looking different, they lived different as well. The Indians were nomadic and polytheistic but the Europeans saw them as barbaric and thought they should convert to Christianity as they were. Agriculture was also an important aspect of the Indians' lives but Europeans only saw these resources as a way to get money. These European explorers believed they were sent to America by God but did God send them to America to victimize people?