Since reverend Parris is obsessively paranoid about the idea that he is being persecuted and that 'a faction' in Salem wishes to get rid of him, he goes to great lengths to firstly, protect his position and secondly, to get rid of those he deems his enemies, such as John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey.
To this end, he therefore attempts to manipulate the court (especially the esteemed judge Danforth) and others. He has limited success in these ventures, for his meddling does to some degree influence the proceedings, but he is deemed more of an irritation than much else.
At the beginning, when the reverend discovers his daughter, Betty, his niece Abigail Williams and his servant Tituba, dancing in the woods with other girls from the village, he realises that he might be in deep trouble. It is for this reason that he summons Reverend Hale from Beverley, a respected authority in the occult. Parris' primary intention is to encourage the reverend to discover evidence disproving witchcraft, as is rumoured in the village, for the girls' actions and thus absolve him from any blame.
Soon after his discovery, when he confronts Abigail, he repeatedly tells her about the risks he faces should it be found that she and her cousin had committed some or other foul deed in the forest. It is clear from his tone that he wishes Abigail to understand the danger to his status.
And I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry's at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin's life. Whatever abomination you have done, give me all of it now, for I dare not be taken unaware when I go before them down there.
Abigail, I have sought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character. I have given you a home, child, I have put clothes upon your back - now give me upright answer. Your name in the town - it is en-tirely white, is it not?
The reverend is clearly trying to instill guilt in Abigail by saying what he does in the second extract. She owes him her gratitude and he attempts to play on her sense of loyalty and appreciation for what he has done for her.
He also wishes to sway the Putnams not to mention anything about witchcraft, for he tells Mr Putnam:
I'll lead them in a psalm, but let you say nothing of witchcraft yet. I will not discuss it. The cause is yet unknown. I have had enough contention since I came; I want no more.
When Reverend Hale arrives and calls on Tituba, it is Reverend Parris that threatens:
You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!
He knows that if Tituba should confess, he would be absolved of blame. He later also insists that she names those she had seen with the devil. In this way attention will be drawn from him and he would be safe.
When the trials commence, the reverend repeatedly demonises especially John Proctor, in order to sway the court. Proctor has been one of his fiercest critics and Parris feels that once he is out of the way, his position is secure. He is also bitter about Proctor's accusations that he is materialistic and therefore seeks revenge against a man he deems a most bothersome adversary. His continued persistence so frustrates Judge Danforth that he at one point silences him.
In the end it is also Reverend Parris who insists that John Proctor sign his confession. He believes that once this is done, others would follow suit since Proctor is a leader and much respected and admired by the other accused and generally, by all the citizens of Salem.
Ultimately, the reverend's attempts at self-preservation come to naught for soon after the trials, he is voted off the pulpit and leaves the village, never to be seen or heard of again.
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