Abigail is Parris' orphaned niece who makes her home with him and his family. She is portrayed throughout the narrative as being a liar and a manipulator, always looking for ways to take advantage of others and gain power for herself. Her actions and determination to destroy, apparently for its own sake, lead her to manipulate Betsey and other young women of Salem into actions that eventually destroy the lives of Tituba and other women of the town.