How Do the Opinions of Others Shape Our Actions and Beliefs?

Although it would be nice to not value people's judgements as much to avoid negative effects on our character as a whole, it would also be extremely unrealistic and naive to believe so. People’s judgements and actions all create what we consider reality, and therefore contribute to the journey that we call life. This concept is what usually defines what and who we are, throughout different stages of it. However, what the common man does not seem to understand is the unconscious determining factors that create such a phenomenon. Through these stages of physical and mental development, we encounter people in our lives who we grow closer to as we get to know them. These people whom we value tend to offer opinions of different subjects, thereby influencing our actions and beliefs on different matters. This constitutes one of the variables that influences us and our lives. Great examples of these interactions can be seen in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, where a protagonist and antagonist show under similar pressures different outcomes and reactions that further the plot of the play. These characters both show that through the opinions of others, we as human beings shape our own actions to either preserve our virtues or our public status.

The most notable of those who try to preserve their public status in the town is the group of girls who were convicted as witches while dancing to the tune of a slave from barbados in order to conduct such supposed feats only capable by witches. Most namely of these is the leader of the group, Abigail Williams. Her story is one of deceit and lies as she covers up the sinful acts she commits, beginning with her interaction with John Proctor. Abigail at first started this downward trend by creating the circumstances for John to commit adultery and eventually used the salem witch trials in order to create a situation to try and further her own plans to eventually marry John Proctor by hanging Goody Proctor as a witch so she could live out her dream. Although she was unable to fulfill this wish, her actions show some of the ways that people tried to redeem themselves and create more strife in order to further their own plans, while also building up their credentials. She did this by pitting the classes against each other to gain favor in the town, by first accusing the unwanteds and useless peoples in the village. Additionally, in order to preserve her credentials and public opinion, she helped her own cause by forcing mary warren, who brought substantial evidence as a witness in order to turn the arguments of the girls false, to save the skin of the girls and preserve the public opinion of them. We can see this as an example of the survival instinct ingrained into many of us, where we sacrifice our dignity in nobility and fight dirty. We do everything possible just to stay alive, or in this case, protect our status of innocence in a world where suspicion can get you killed. Due to this survival instinct,