People’s goal in life is to build a good reputation so that their legacy upholds even after they die. What you do to build your character—everything that you do from when you wake up to when you go to bed— is for the purpose of one day achieving something great and earning yourself respect from others and reputation in society. In The Crucible, each character places a huge significance upon his or her name and status; reputation was the most important thing in a society like 17th century theocratic Salem, Massachusetts.
When John Proctor is asked why he won’t sign a paper verifying his confession, he responds that “because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life...I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(Act IV, Line 725) This shows that Proctor values his name over his life and doesn’t want to taint his reputation, which would result in a tarnished legacy and a shame to be held by his descendants. Even if he must sacrifice his life, Proctor won’t ruin his name because it is his most valuable possession.
The motif and significance of name in The Crucible is not as strongly represented in today’s society. Now, one’s reputation changes so easily that a single taint doesn’t affect your overall name. The individualization of reputation reduces the significance of name; what your grandfather’s grandfather did to ruin his reputation doesn’t affect your status in society. Reputation doesn’t fully determine who you are and it isn’t the only thing people have nowadays.
It's interesting to note that, though it is at the time unfavorable, infamy is also a great way to have a reputation that lasts in history, albeit a rather shadowy reputation at best. We still remember Jack the Ripper and Charles Manson regardless of the fact that they did no good works, but rather because they didn't.
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