John Proctor-Hero or Stooge

In my personal opinion, John Proctor is a stooge. This is not to say that he lives an entirely pointless life, or is a terrible person. This is just to say that he, by definition, is a person who serves merely to support or assist others". In the Crucible, he doesn't do anything particularly fantastic. The argument for him being a hero could potentially be that he is consistently trying to clear his wife's name, and is trying to help her no matter what. The problem, is that in actuality he is just trying his best to clean up the mess he has made. He had an affair with Abigail, which is the first problem, not that all adulterers are bad people, but he very well made a mistake. From there, Elizabeth find out, she has problems with Abigail, and Abigail wants her gone so she can be with Proctor. This lustful desire is what got us here. This is what initiated the ceremony in the woods and what caused the chaos that ensued. Now, John is trying everything to protect his wife from what he indirectly imposed on her. I suppose that is a good thing, he is in fact trying to clear his mistakes, but he is also trying to retain his reputation. Him saying that he knows Abigail would usually ruin his name, however in this case it was just taken as part of the trial to understand who is guilty. Even with revealing this major truth, he has so far not gotten any blood on his hands. He doesn't think before he acts, and he has proven to be dishonest. He lives his life in a circle:making mistakes and trying to fix them. This is what makes John Proctor a stooge in my mind.

There Goes The Neighborhood

Their eyes bug out. What is this huge boat floating on the water and why is it here? A mix of excitement, confusion, and fear fill their eyes. The white men come off the boat, men that they had never seen before. The Native Americans cautiously approach them and soon they mesh. They work together, they teach each other their ways, and they trade with each other. It is a good time, but it doesn't last long. Soon, the white men begin to teach the Native Americans their religious ways. It is a new thing for them, and they do not understand. Many try to leave but they get killed. This is when the conflicts begin. The white men and the natives do not agree. They live different lives, and those two lives cannot work together. The white men want converts and money. The natives want to live their spiritual lives in peace. The white men begin to make changes, and own the land. The natives are furious. This is not their land. They do not have the right to take this. It is nature's. In a devastating chain reaction, they begin to hurt eachother, and there is no longer peace. There is only fear. To have constant fear is a life of paranoia. There is tension, such that you could cut the air. Once in a while there is a death. The white men believe the unknown is simply a forest of evil, of the devil. The natives believe that the white men have invaded. They should not be here. They are not welcome. Fear causes conflict. There is no resolve. The white men will continue to want power and money, they will continue to belittle the natives, they will continue to own the land. There can be no compromise when there is fear, and so they live in a state of constant  in-balance, always on the verge of war. The war comes, and it becomes a white man's land. The winner writes the history books.

Me

Today I will be talking about myself. Hello! My name is Dorothy Tarasul. I was born on June 5, 2001, in Chicago, Illinois. My parents are both immigrants from Ukraine, so I grew up speaking Russian, and am now bilingual. My dad’s name is Alexander and my mom’s name is Julia. I have an older sister who is in 10th grade and her name is Paulina.

I had and have a lot of interests. Throughout my life, I have done many activities including gymnastics, ice skating, art, ceramics, dance, and more, which I have dropped.

However I also maintain many interests to this day. Some sports that I enjoy are downhill skiing, water skiing, soccer, tennis, and dance. Other things I enjoy are art, debate, theater, math team, and french culture.

My main passion is traveling. Traveling is very exhilarating for me and I love to explore new countries and cultures. I think all places are so unique and special, and it always feels like an adventure to me.

One adventure that emerged out of traveling and has become a passion is scuba diving. At just 12 years old I became a certified scuba diver, and have dived in many places including the Great Barrier Reef, the Florida Keys, and Aruba. I love to scuba dive because it feels like I have entered a whole new planet and am just an outsider looking in on a strange world. The feeling of being under water and staying there is such an odd and foreign feeling, but also one that fills me with adrenaline and which I really enjoy. I have also loved wreck diving because it’s like finding something lost and hidden.

Overall I would describe myself as an adventurous and outgoing person.

xx

Dorothy Tarasul