The Crucible and why we need to see it now--

Cold, wet, and dreary day-- but a fantastic morning with 65 students and several of my colleagues attending The Crucible performed by TheatreUP here in Littleton. Wow. It was really great.

At the end of the play (and if you are local, GO SEE IT!!), John Proctor's anguished cry, "Because it is my name! I cannot have another!" echoes in my head and heart. He was willing to give up his life for a sacred truth, to leave his name unsullied by a lie that would have spared him but would have tarnished not only his and his sons' name forever, but would have dishonored those who died for truth before him. 

There are precious few people who are willing to stand so firmly on what it right that they will die for it. Most folks will compromise, telling themselves and others that some personal indignity or shame is worth it for the larger good. (Witness the handful of Democrat senators...) And quite often, they are probably right. But where do we, as individuals, draw the line? What will we not give up? What cost is it to our lives and to our souls-- as John Proctor wrestled with his decision--and is there anything at all we are willing to give our lives for? Probably family, but yet, Proctor died, leaving his wife, three sons, and an unborn child on the way. But he did it for them; a "clean" name was a legacy he could give to his children. That may not seem practical, in the short term, but it was eminently the right thing to do, as he saw it. A good name is worth more than anything else, really. Being honest with yourself is a hard thing to do sometimes. 

And let's not forget that this play, written by Arthur Miller as a pointed response to McCarthyism in the 1950s, was intended to raise questions about moral cowardice, greed, and corruption. It's a good time to revisit the play if you've seen it before or read it in high school as I did. Or see it for the first time, if you haven't. If you can't get to a good live production, I recommend the film version starring Daniel Day Lewis. It haunts me, it reassures me that anger can be a flame for righteousness. It reminds me that I have to look at myself in the mirror and not shy away from what is right, even when it's hard. 

Have a good day, folks. Hug those you love. Keep everyone safe. 

C