"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.