Every society puts man's strength and ability to survive to the test. Everyone comes across a hard path during his or her life sooner or later. How they choose to do so is up to the individual. In the works The Crucible and Guilty by Suspicion, John Proctor and David Merrill respectively must decide if they will follow the evil ways of authority. And while doing so, even though they are both different characters in a different time they both exemplify individuality, strength, and moral integrity.
             At first, Proctor was trying to avoid all involvement since the beginning of the play. In Act I, when Reverend Hale arrives, he knows the girls are pretending and leaves in disgust by saying, "I never spoke on witches one way or the other. Will you come, Giles?"(82). John knew that all accusations were false, but in order to reveal this he would have to admit that he was a lecher. He avoids all responsibility and retires to the privacy of his home. He worked only for his own individual ends, and desired only to live an uninvolved life, but Proctor ultimately stops hiding at home and stops refusing to face the charges. He acts for his wife and friends.
             Like Proctor, David Merrill avoids becoming involved. Because Larry, a friend of his, named him as a communist sympathizer he must name others. Felix A. Graff, a lawyer, tells him how he was accused of attending communist parties. He is to name five people including his best friend, Bunny Baxter, in order to get out of it. David gets so frustrated he leaves the building. He feels the whole thing is stupid and does not want anything to do with it. He then ignores his being named and tries to find another filming job in Hollywood. When this does not work he leaves to NY and tries to continue his search. But when he has a job at Floyd's as a repair man the FBI follow him and pursue to ask his boss questions. David becomes angry and, realizing he can't bring anyone else problems...