Reverend Hale arrives in Salem oblivious to the situation at hand with his confidence fully invested in his faith and his high reputation guiding him as an outsider. Hale considers himself an expert in witchcraft, and believes in the knowledge inside the books he reads. Hale shows up in the town “with a half a dozen heavy books,” (36) and says the books “are weighted with authority.” (36) Hale is confident in himself though slightly arrogant. He believes that his knowledge is the law, even though he is inexperienced with witchcraft, thus corrupting the town with false judgment.