Context

The Crucible's John Proctor is one stand up dude. And this right here? This is his big moment.

Proctor says this to Hale, Parris, and Danforth as they try to convince him to confess to conspiring with the Devil and thereby save his life. Proctor is willing to make a verbal confession and even sign the official document he is given, but when it comes to handing his signature over, he is unwilling to do so. He just can't lie like that.

Where you've heard it

Welcome to one of the most crucial moments of the play. Proctor is torn between being honest and being alive.

Like any other human being, Proctor values his life, but he doesn't want to be remembered as a liar who's willing to say or do anything for his own sake. One of the biggest influences on Proctor is the people who have already died because they refused to admit to crimes they didn't commit. Proctor says that he is not worth the dust on their feet and that he "blacken[s] all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence!"

He's also thinking about his children and asks, "how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?" Finally, there is simply the name itself. Reputation is important to Proctor and everyone in Salem. Proctor is able to overcome a false sense, or maybe pretense, of reputation when he confesses to his affair with Abigail (which is actually the reason he gets accused of working for the Devil in the first place).

But we do have to question this whole name obsession. "John" is, let's face it, a little trite. And "Proctor" reminds us of those people who watched us take the SAT. 

So yeah, not the most exciting name; maybe he should reconsider.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Soul vs. name? We'll take our soul every time—which is saying something because we are very attached to Shmoop.