The salary is sixty-six pound, Mr. Proctor! I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 1. Parris is involved in an undignified argument with Giles Corey and Proctor about his salary. Here he disputes Proctor’s claim that his salary is sixty pounds, plus six for firewood. He insists that his pay is sixty-six pounds, and the firewood is provided free. This is an example of greed by the head of the church in Salem. It also shows him consumed with pride, boasting that having a degree from the prestigious Harvard University should command a higher salary. Parris sees himself at a higher level than the typical Massachusetts farmer or craftsman.