John Proctor, Hero or Stooge?

"Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story" -John Barth The definition to a hero is dependent upon one definition. A hero could be the guy who comes and saves the scared citizens from the evil villain or the smart guy who warns officials in time to save a town. But, I believe a hero is simple a person who stands up for what they believe in and embraces themselves and the human race. John Proctor is a respectable man who is bluntly honest and fair man. He is an example of what a protagonist who is a "perfectionist". John is a noble man, he of course despises hypocrisy, yet he is a hypocrite himself. This is not ironic because it is typical of humans to pick out flaws in others that they see in themselves. Striving to do everything "right" is what holds John back, as it is with several of the characters in The Crucible. To parallel with us in today’s society, people feel that they must fit in with the status quo or with what is popular. But this is what sometimes roadblock not only to life long success but with personal happiness. John in The Crucible constant tells his wife not to judge him, yet she clearly tells him that it is not she who is judging him but his conscience. He is so caught up with what the other citizens will think he can't forgive himself or Abigail for committing adultery. John Proctor is indeed, a hero he is a reflection of a genuine man in an unstable community. Though he has some difficulties “fitting in” he overcomes this and in the end does what he knows is right and proves he not only is an honest man but a hero.