Revisiting The Crucible: ‘John Proctor is the Villain’ and the Echoes of #MeToo in High School
John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower is a play that reimagines Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible. Set in rural Georgia in 2018, the story unfolds in the context of an English class taught by Mr. Smith, who becomes the faculty sponsor for a newly-formed Feminism Club. The plot takes a dramatic turn when Shelby Holcomb, a student who mysteriously vanished for a year, returns to school with a dark secret about her past—she was in a relationship with Mr. Smith. As the students delve into the works of Arthur Miller, specifically the moral complexities of John Proctor and Abigail, they find themselves viewing their own internal conflicts through the lens of The Crucible.
Kimberly Belflower conveys the intricacies of girlhood and the challenges of growing up under societal expectations and restrictions. John Proctor is the Villain echoes these themes through the lens of teenagers navigating the complexities of friendships, breakups, and, most prominently, issues of sexual misconduct and grooming. The play prompts its characters to debate whether John Proctor, the assumed hero of The Crucible, is, in fact, the villain due to his problematic relationship with the seventeen-year-old Abigail. This parallel is mirrored in the students’ lives, as they grapple with the revelation that Mr. Smith had a secret relationship with sixteen-year-old Shelby, drawing powerful connections to the victim-blaming and slut-shaming prevalent in both narratives.
The play artfully illustrates that in the wake of the ‘Me Too’ era, toxic dynamics, silencing, and victim-blaming still persist in the modern world. It warns against judging someone’s character solely by their outward appearance or public image. John Proctor is the Villain succeeds in capturing the multifaceted challenges of coming of age in a world marked by instability and violence, particularly delving into the complexities of recent sexual politics. The characters, their struggles, and the use of language effectively convey the distinct experiences and dilemmas faced by the younger generation.
The play’s exploration of culture and literature as a means of discussing challenging topics metaphorically, as well as the reinterpretation of The Crucible by the characters, encourages a critical introspection of societal issues. The message about challenging established power structures and the search for connection and love in a tumultuous world feels profoundly relevant in the current socio-political context.
As an 18-year-old myself, can personally relate to the themes in “John Proctor.” Growing up in the era of the ‘Me Too’ movement, I have seen people close to me confront sexual misconduct and have observed the frequent silencing of girls, while their assailants often escaped accountability. Beyond these crucial issues, the play also strikes a chord by capturing the universal struggles of making and losing friends, enduring breakups, and finding a sense of belonging during high school. John Proctor is the Villain taps into the shared teenage experiences that bring us together, making it a poignant and timely exploration of the complexities of growing up.
Pledged.
