Reverend Parris is a great example of greed in the play.
In act one, he argues with everyone about how he shouldn't have to pay six pounds for
firewood; he's the minister, and deserves that firewood for free! He also claims that
he deserves more than his "sixty-six pounds a year" salary, and refers to how he left a
prosperous business in Barbados to come and preach in humble circumstances. So
obviously, he cares a great deal about money and wealth. He even argues at one point
that he should get the title to the churchouse, meaning, that he should be able to claim
ownership of it. He is so greedy that he wants to be the sole owner of the
church!
Later, in act two, we learn from John Proctor that
Parris fixated on getting golden candlesticks in the church, instead of the pewter ones
that Francis Nurse had made. He even used that greed as the subject of his sermons, and
whined about it until he had his way and got his golden candlesticks. Because of his
greed, of which there are numerous examples, he comes off as argumentative, bitter,
angry, whiney and petulant to many members of his congregation, and as a result, they
doubt his true piety and humility as a servant of God.
I
hope that helped; good luck!
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