In each book the main character faces difficulties. Some have a tragic ending while others have a happier and more subtle ending. In both Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller's The Crucible this is evident. The fall and end of both characters are different but they share the same fate due to their actions and decisions. Their tragic end is the result of their sins, pride and guilt. The tragic downfall of Dimmesdale, from The Scarlet Letter, and John Proctor from The Crucible, are very similar but different in how they led to their deaths. Dimmesdale and Proctor both commit adultery and from then on everything goes south. Proctor's affair with Abigail Williams was the main cause of his death and downfall. “I seek John Proctor who took me from sleep and put knowledge in my heart…You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever the sin, you still love me!” (Act 1 p.24) The quote above lets us know that Abigail is still in love with Proctor and wants him to leave his wife and go to her, but he refuses and says that what they did was a thing of the past. “Erase it from your mind. We never touched. Abby.” (Act 1 p.23) As a result of Proctor's desire to end any relationship with Abigail, who will do anything to be with him, a chain of events occur that leads to Proctor being accused of being a witch and ultimately upon his death. “You are the Devil's man... He wakes me up every night his eyes were like coals and his fingers claw at my scratch, and I sign, I sign…” (Act 3 p. 118-119). Proctor's adultery led to him being accused of being a witch, but he could have avoided his death if not for his pride. Pride killed Proctor at the end of the novel, not his adultery. Proctor could have saved his life and taken care of his... half the paper... mine!" (Chapter 11 p.126) Dimmesdale by punishing himself day after day helped hasten his death. His guilt led him to harm himself and hasten his death. Proctor on the other hand seems to be guilty of nothing As we read The Crucible we know that the entire witch hunt could have been avoided if Proctor had confessed and knowing that everything could have been. avoided if he had confessed Proctor does not seem to show an ounce of guilt but rather other emotions when he talks about the affair or about Abigail in general. «Let me go to Ezekiel Cheever: he knows you well. And tell him what he told you last week last… then, think about it.” (Act 2 p.53) Proctor in this quote seems to want the conversation to end quickly. Here he feels ashamed and angry rather than guilty and every time the issue is mentioned or brought up he feels mostly anger and frustration.