He sits like some great bird; you’d not know he lived except he will take food from time to time.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 4. Marshal Herrick is speaking about John Proctor who is chained to a wall in jail. In a simile, he compares him to a "great bird." This line suggests that John, who refuses to confess to witchcraft, remains quietly strong and is mounting a silent resistance to the witch trials sham.