He is willing to sacrifice his honor — which he has already done by admitting to adultery — and he can live with the knowledge that others will view him differently if he confesses. However, Proctor cannot bear the shame of having his confession nailed to the church door. Because confessing will save his life, he can live with that idea, but he believes nailing his confession to the church door constitutes a betrayal of everyone who refuses to confess. A public display of his false confession — especially at a church that is supposed to uphold truth — would insult those who choose to die to preserve their honor. A public display of his signature will strip him of his pride and identity. He will lose his good name and be nothing but a broken man. Proctor's decision to destroy the confession demonstrates his commitment to truth and his inability to tolerate falsehood, especially in himself.
