Greed can be a very destructive part of everyone’s life. It can control our every action at times. Some people let their greed get out of control, which was exactlywhat happened in Salem during the witch trials. Three people’s greed brought up this whole tragedy of the trials, convictions and hangings. These three people are Reverend Parris, Thomas Putnam and Abigail Williams. Thomas Putnam was a “well-to-do, hard-handed, landowner.” He valued his land probably more than his marriage, his other possessions or his anything else that he had. He used his land as a power source to get anything that he wanted. He also used this power to get his neighbors accused and/or convicted of being witches. Once these people were convicted, he would be able to purchase the deceased’s land, just giving him more land and power. This man alone got others to start believing that some people among them were witches. He also used his daughter as a witness to some of his neighbors crimes. Thomas Putnam used the witch trials as an excuse to get even with his neighbors and get their land. He allowed his greed to rule his mind
and other decisions during this tragic time in the history of Salem. Another person who was affected by greed during this time was Reverend Parris. He felt that he was underpaid for his services. At one time he said to Giles Corey, “I regard that six pound as part of my salary...You will look far for a man of my kind at sixty pound a year!” Also, Parris preached for twenty weeks about having golden candlesticks on the altar until he got them. As the story progressed, he became greedy for his life and the life of his friends. When Proctor was about to be hanged, he begged and pleaded for Proctor’s life so that Parris would not be blamed for killing one of Salem’s “upper class”. I feel that Parris was not a good man to be the minister in such a town because he helped the whole witch hunt get going. He made sure that everyone knew about what was going on and got them to help dig up dirt on the accused. One final person whom I believe let her greed for attention and power control the outcome of that small town was Abigail Williams. She was the first person who was caught dancing in the woods to realize
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