Armstid (pages 184-193)

“Because be durn if there ain’t something about a durn fellow like Anse that seems to make a man have to help him, even when he knows he’ll be wanting to kick himself next minute” (192)

This quote reflects the general attitude the neighbors have towards Anse. They really can’t stand him, but are somehow inclined to help him anyway. In this section, Armstid repeatedly expresses his opinion of Anse as a complete idiot, but is still willing to offer up his team and food to the Bundrens because he feels it’s the right thing to do. The way the neighbors treat Anse exemplifies the motifs of Christianity and judgment that recur throughout the novel. The characters of Armstid, Tull, and Cora help the Bundrens because they are motivated by their Christian beliefs of “loving your neighbor.” However, they are constantly looking down upon the family. This creates irony between the neighbors’ so-called “Christian” actions and their true thoughts that completely contradict the ideals of Christianity.

Armstid, Tull, and Cora remind me of the girls from The Crucible. The girls are supposed to be Puritans strictly upholding their Christian ideals, but do not at all exemplify their beliefs. They are constantly making up lies, judging each other, and pushing for the unjust deaths of people like the Proctors. Abigail in particular is very un-Christian because had an affair with John Proctor and is the leader of all the mayhem. If these girls were actually practicing their Christian beliefs of loving your neighbor and not lying or killing, none of the madness of The Crucible would have erupted in the first place.