Lies In The CrucibleIt is a golden rule in our society that honesty is the best policy. Throughout childhood we are taught that in all situations it is best to tell the truth. This rule of honesty in all circumstances is rarely followed for one reason or another. In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, there is a story of a Massachusetts town called Salem during the era of the witch trials in the 1600s, where there are many characters who spiral out of control due to a continuing lie. grow. According to The Crucible and many of my life experiences, people lie for many reasons including a thirst for power and authority, jealousy, and the need to protect themselves and others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayIn the play, when some characters get a taste of power and authority, they abuse it, and the entire town of Salem gets caught up in these lies. Abigail and Betty, two young girls in the city begin to attract attention when they say they have come into contact with the devil. When they realize that the "powers that be" in the city believe everything they say, the two girls are elated by this power they have and continue to lie about the "witches" they know about. “I saw Goody Sibber with the devil!”-Abigail, “I saw Alice Barrow with the devil”-Betty, “I saw Goody Hawkins with the devil!”-Abigail” (Miller 48). The girls continue to accuse people of witchcraft because the unusual power and authority they have over the city turns them on. Instead of being seen as ignorant children, people trust them and listen to them. In my experience, I have found that it is easy to lie in a situation like this. When I was younger, I had a neighborhood full of kids younger than me. I remember a time when I was in charge and wanted to go on a hike and none of the kids did. I abused my authority by telling all the kids that at the end of the hike there was a treasure/prize that everyone could have so that they would believe me and go on the hike. In this situation, I experienced the ability to abuse authority to get what I wanted. The girls in the novel also abused their power to get what they wanted, attention. This was a reason for me to lie in my experience and for Abigail and Betty in theirs. Throughout the book, there are characters who feel they have to lie to protect themselves or to protect others. In The Crucible, Elizabeth is questioned during the trial about why she and her husband had decided to fire Abigail. Elizabeth knows it is because Abigail and her husband were having an affair, but she lies to save her husband's honor. “I came to think he liked it. And so one night I lost my mind, I think, and took it to the high road.'-Elizabeth. "Then he didn't walk away from you." Danforth. “No, sir”” (113). Elizabeth lies in this situation so she can keep her husband's honor safe. She is trying to protect him and believes this is a good reason to lie. I have also experimented with lying to protect myself or someone else. A few years ago my parents were angry because my living room lamp was broken. I knew my brother had knocked over the lamp, but I lied and told them I didn't know what happened so my brother wouldn't get in trouble. This lie was what I believed was right because I was protecting my brother as Elizabeth did for her husband in the novel. Elizabeth and I both lied out of a need to protect someone we care about. A third reason why people lie as portrayed.