The characters are very defined throughout the story so far. I find that the most interesting characters could fit into multiple "colors" from the True Colors activity, such as Abigail. I find that Abigail is both a thinker and a doer. I also think some of the more simplistic characters are easier to analyze, such as John Proctor, who is very straightforward with his thoughts and words. I have decided that he is definitely a doer, due to his rash decisions.
Abigail is both a thinker and a doer because she contemplates her actions, and then does things that could be considered very unexpected, especially to a reader who knows nothing about the Salem Witches. She is basically the leader of the whole group of children who claim to be witches. She is the one who comes up with the schemes and she also carries them out while influencing the other children. For an example of her thinking through and carrying out plans is when she uses Mary to set Elizabeth up. Mary hates Elizabeth for "blackening her name," so she gets Mary to give Elizabeth a doll with a needle in it so the people searching for witchcraft would think she was preforming Voodoo rituals (Miller 56). She is extremely devious! These traits combined with evil traits are what makes her such a vital character. She is able to be the whole basis of the witches because of these acts. If you look at it from a psychoanalytical point, she is an orphan, she lost her parents. This can take a huge toll on a child, but that is beside the point.
In my opinion, John Proctor is definitely a doer, there is no doubt. He does not really contemplate his actions at all, he just sort of goes with whatever impulse he feels at the time. I completely understand this, but I would not consider him to be a very trustworthy person in this sense. While he is trying to change his ways, he still deceived Elizabeth with Abigail, which was not very thoughtful or considerate of him (Miller 54). If he would have taken the time to think his decisions through, he may have found that he was making the wrong choice and that his whole marriage was in jeopardy. Another example of him being a doer is when he just randomly shows up where Abigail is, without any reason other than to hear a story firsthand (Miller 22). I feel like if he thought about this a bit more, he would have known that only trouble would come from such a situation and he would have steered clear of her. If I were him, I would have just kept to myself and let rumors be. He did not need to set out to talk to her and tempt himself with her presence. He did not do anything wrong at that time, but the risk was far too high to be fooling around with. He had been caught in a situation like that once, and he did not want to get caught again.
Overall, these two characters are both sort of extremes. One is very thoughtful and patient, the other is impulsive and eager. I think these two are the best examples of the True Colors assessment because of their strong characteristics and traits.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.
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