Thursday, June 27, 2013

"The battle to be at peace with ourselves is the one that is often the most difficult to win." Explain.It needs to be put in the form...

The quote is something that I think perfectly explains
John Proctor and Abigail Williams.  It’s strange for me to be able to identify one quote
that would fit both, but I think that it makes sense for both characters.  Two
individuals who were able to find themselves in each other’s arms at one point were
actually unfulfilled in their own lives and sought to find some level of release in the
gaze of the other.  It was bound to fail.  Proctor’s lack of voice and lack of self
conception represented the reason why he sought refuge with Abigail and why he strayed
in his marriage.  His regret at the start of the play is something that reflects a
growing or emergent self conception and movement towards finding peace with himself. 
When he refuses to lie, refuses to accept an easy solution and rather embrace the
consequences of dying in the name of the truth and, more importantly, for his name, we
see that his battle has been resolved as he has finally gained peace with himself. 
Abigail was never at such peace, losing the battle entirely.  Her own lack of emotional
and psychological nourishment created a hunger that was never satiated.  Seeing her
parents die violently and never being able to come to terms with that along with a lack
of guidance helped to create someone who was fundamentally at odds with both the world
and self.  Her accusations and growing web of lies is something that we can now see as
reflective of someone who is so uneasy with her own self that she will create this same
level of distortion and torment in others.  Her running away at the end reflects that
she never found peace in the accusations and lies, nor in her plans to be with John, and
might never find that peace.  Her battle is either lost or will continue in a lonely
sojourn.  Perhaps, adopting the persona of each character in these lights might be able
to assist you in preparing the speech.

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