What's in a name? Your name is who you are, where you come from, and what you believe in. Even when you encounter death, your name will echo on for centuries to come. Your name not only represents you, but generations of family members who lived before you. It also represents the pride and honor that they had worked hard for and maintained over the course of many years. It is also your legacy to the generations that will follow you. Your children build their futures often based on the strength and reputation of the name you leave them. It is your responsibility and obligation to your loved ones, both past and future, to carry on this name and honor the ideals it represents.
             In the Crucible, by Arthur Miller, a farmer named John Proctor had to make a life or death decision on the basis of his name's value. He lived in the late 1600's in Salem, Massachusetts during the witch hysteria of this time period. John Proctor was a good, stern, even-tempered man who was imprisoned because he was accused of witchcraft. At this time and place in history, a person's name and reputation was extremely important. Religion was the center of family and community. Their moral laws and state laws were one and the same. This accusation against him would have been a reflection against his whole family. In an environment like this, where reputation played such an important role, this accusation would be damning. There was no middle ground. Everyone and everything belonged to either God or the Devil.
             While in prison, John Proctor encounters a chance to save his life. He was given the choice of signing his confession and admitting to the charges against him or refusing. By signing the confession and placing it on the church doors, John Proctor would have admitted that he had practiced witchcraft. This would have shown that he recognized what was written to be the truth. A public display of his confession, especially at th...