How does the play The Crucible show the conflict of the individual vs society?

You have identified a major theme of this excellent play.
Clearly the conflict between the security of the community and individual freedom runs
throughout the play. Salem was a community which felt under demonic siege, threatened by
the dangers of the wilderness, the possible corrupting influences of other Christian
sects, and a genuine fear of the devil. The play also has obvious parallels with the
McCarthy investigations, which were proceeding when it was first
produced.

One way of viewing the play is as an allegory of
the abuse of state power by those who persecuted and denounced people who were thought
to be undermining the American way of life. Just as in Salem, any who opposed McCarthy's
investigations were treated as enemies of the
state.

Against the Machiavellian manoeuvres of people in
the play like the Putnams, who deliberately sweep up a crowd frenzy for their own
purposes, it is the place of the few to stand up against the madness of their society
and maintain the truth. Unfortunately, in the play, this normally brings a sad fate upon
these characters. The best examples, and ones you will want to investigate further, are
Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, Giles Corey and, at the end, John Proctor, who only
finds peace when he paradoxically goes to his death.