Sunday, October 25, 2009
Witchcraft in Salem!
Today I have arrived in Salem! How exciting this all is! Accusations of witchcraft and the work of the devil are everywhere. I feel like I have been preparing for this moment since I became a minister. It seemed very obvious that the girls were up to something after talking to Reverend Parris. It was no shock to me that the girls were under the influence of the devil’s forces because dancing in the forest is just a horrible offense for girls to do. I was also not shocked when the Abigail said she was being bewitched by Tituba, a slave. Tituba then confessed to being under the devils evil watch and seeing another person with the devil. I did find it odd, however, that when I told Tituba that she is with God now, Abigail jumped right in after saying that she had never seen the devil and confessed that the devil had come to her with other women too. Then, quite surprisingly, the little girl, Betty, came too in time to call out the people she had seen with the devil. I had never thought that such a small town as Salem could harbor so many people under the spell of the devil for so long. I am excited to continue to get to the bottom of this witchcraft.
I quit this court!
I cannot believe how unjust this court is! I stormed out today infuriated by how unreasonable and irrational the justices have been. Judge Danforth needs to open up his eyes. How can he not see the evidence that shows personal vengeance and ambition runs wild in these proceedings? I could take it no more; I had already condemned too many lives on what I believe to be lies. When evidence of the lies was brought forth, Danforth would not allow lawyers. How does he suppose a farmer defends himself in these courts who has had no experience in courts before? Danforths judgment seems completely arbitrary, and he has been twisted around the finger of that girl, Abigail. He believes her to a pure Christian girl when it is clearly obvious now how flawed she really is. I just feel like I’m putting good people’s lives in danger by staying around here. I came to this town thinking that I was going to save them from the horrors of the devil, but the devil has followed me here through my pen as I sign away life after life. I pray to God that I may be forgiven for being so susceptible to the energy surrounding the accusations. I only hope that what I have done does not continue to grow.
John Proctor's hanging
Today is the day that John Proctor has been hanged. I cannot believe that he allowed that to happen. He seemed such a rational man, yet when it came down to it, I feel that he gave up his life for his personal pride. I pleaded with him and his wife, for nothing is greater than a person’s life, not an idea or a principle. I feel like I cannot wash my hands of his death or the others. I know he was innocent. No matter how much I pleaded with Elizabeth to persuade him, she would not do it. She only said, “He have his goodness now.” Goodness? What goodness is there in death? I just cannot seem to comprehend why John would throw his life away. Above all though, I feel this is no one’s fault, but my own. If only I wasn’t so persistent in trying to find evidence of witchcraft and instead thought rationally about the situation. I saw how Proctor was revered in the town, but he wasn’t even a good Christian. The most important thing to him was how the people he respected thought of him. He would rather die with a good name than live with a scarred one. I feel that his principles have greatly changed me.
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