The Lords of Dicipline and The Crucible

him a chance to support Pearce, the first African American student to attend the Institute. The Bear tells Will he has been charged the duty of preventing Pearce from dropping out and leaving the school. Will says to Pearce while talking about their plan to communicate, “‘…there may be a secret group on campus that does not want you to enjoy the fruits of education at this grand institution. I belong to a group that does. Any questions?’ ‘What group do you belong to, sir?’ ‘We are called the nigger-lovers, Pearce.’” (Conroy 70). Although all of his peers and friends are against African Americans like Pearce, Will’s character remains strong. He stands against what he personally believes is wrong and will encourage Pearce to stay and become a ring-wearer. In The Crucible, John Proctor is also virtuous. His time of high merit comes when he confronts Herrick and Cheever and rips the search warrant they’ve obtained to search his house because they believe Elizabeth, John’s wife, to be a witch. After Cheever shows John the warrant, Proctor and Cheever have a heated conversation, “Proctor: Out with you. Cheever: Proctor, you dare not touch the warrant. Proctor, ripping the warrant: Out with you!” (Miller 76). Proctor reveals how he knows what Herrick and Cheever are doing is wrong, and he tries his best to defend his wife and put an end to it. His virtuous nature shines through here. He knows it is unjust to just accuse someone of witchcraft without any significant proof. The entire Salem society believes witchcraft to be true. Proctor, acting as the righteous man he is, knows his wife is not a witch. To be virtuous in the face of adversity is an essential trait for a great hero to have. The hero must be virtuous to see through societal repression and say what they believe.        Will McLean illustrates extraordinary courage when it comes to overcoming his peers’ repressive ideals. One of his major difficulties throughout the book is The Ten, a secret group created within the Institute which preys on students not seen fit to continue their education there. When Will discovers they are a real group after searching through Mr. St Croix’s journal, he drives to the barn near the General’s house to investigate. He sees ten of his peers about to ignite a flame that could have potentially burned Pearce. Will throws a, “‘brick [which] exploded into...the room, suddenly silent, …‘Pearce, it’s Will McLean and I’ve seen it all.’”(Conroy 389-390). This act is remarkably bold and daring. Not only does he throw a brick into the room to grab their attention but he also yells out his own name, alerting The Ten to his presence and identity. Will tries to overcome the societal suppressive atmosphere The Ten has set around the school. Nonetheless, this small yet daring act assists Will in conquering his obstacles by letting him be stronger, mentally and physically, then his opponents.  John Proctor is also courageous and his audacity aids him in overcoming the McCarthyism and hysteria gripping Salem. When John is surrounded by the entire town after Mary loses his case for him and Elizabeth denies the affair between him and Abigail, he yells out, “Proctor: I say—I say—God is dead!” (Miller 119). This is an absurd and crazy thing to say in such a society where religion is so powerful and God is essential to everyone’s everyday lives. Since he said this, he knows he will be convicted of witchcraft and it is extremely brave to say something so scandalous. His true courage is found beneath these simple words. What Proctor means is that his beloved town has fallen to Satan and God is “dead” because nobody trusts anyone. Courage is an indispensible characteristic to defeat the odds put against them and rise to new heights.        Although dishonesty is usually frowned upon, in Will’s case, it helps him overcome an unfair trial which would have led to the collective repression of Dante Pignetti. Dante, Will’s close friend and roommate, is caught by a member of The Ten stealing gasoline from Will’s car.  During the examination of the witness, Will, the defense attorney asks, “‘Who paid for the gasoline?’ Mark asked. ‘I had left my wallet in the barracks. Pig gave me money to pay for the gas,’ I lied.” (Conroy 430). Will does do an inexcusable act—lying after swearing to tell the truth on the Honor Court. Fortunately, he lies to save one of his best friends from being forced out of the school. Dante helps Will overcome obstacle by helping him escape The Ten. By lying, he indirectly overcame his obstacles through another person. In contrast, John Proctor is renowned for his honesty. He is honest to Mr. Putnam, Rebecca, Reverend Parris, and most importantly himself in saying how much he despises Reverend Parris and all that he stands for.  “Parris: There is a party in this church. I am not blind; there is a faction and a party. Proctor: Against you? Putnam: Against him and all authority! Proctor: Why, then I must find it and join it.” (Miller 31). John Proctor is very true to himself and knows how he feels about issues that affect him daily. He is confident in his identity and wants everyone around him to know that as well. Saying this is a bit of a risk since the idea of witchcraft is just beginning in Salem and Proctor openly states that he is “against” the Reverend of the church in town. Being true and honest to himself allows Proctor to defeat his ignorant peers and become a better man than the rest of them.        In conclusion, to conquer obstacles, one must have a few vital traits to help them do so. The protagonist must be virtuous, have tremendous courage, and have honest values supplemented by dishonest values. If Napoleon could forge an empire out of nothing with such a physical disadvantage and obstacle, any hero can do the same with these all important characteristics.