So I know that if he signed the confession his name would be ruined. But if he signed it, would other innocent people be killed? What would happen to his wife? Do you think his actions were selfish?
Proctor sees himself as the borderline case – a respected member of society but far from sinless. It is only by recognizing that he need not be as perfect as Goody Nurse that Proctor finally finds "his goodness" as a moral man. Proctor refuses to have his last vestiges of morality stripped away by signing the paper. It would seem that he could have spared the lives of some of the others including his wife. Elizabeth, however, would not be killed until she delivered her baby. Proctor had already sacrificed his honor by having an affair with Abigail. He sacrificed it again by admitting to false allegations to appease the court. Proctor refuses finally destroy his name by signing the false confession. In the end Proctor feels he has nothing more left to lose except his name.
