Critical Lenses Papeer

The Roman philosopher Cicero, stated in his thesis Ethical Writings of Cicero that “The greater the difficulty the greater the glory.” To further validate this statement, one must look at this issue from all parts of the spectrum. Is hard work always rewarded with glory? Is glory always achieved through hard work? Well in almost all walks of life, those who work hard are the ones who achieve in life. Life presents everybody with obstacles. It is when you truly struggle you reveal your traits of strength and determination. Those who use these traits to their advantage are the ones who achieve in life. The theme of the ability to withstand harsh difficulties and obstacles set by life in order to achieve the greater glory is clearly demonstrated in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and in Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In both of these notable works of literature, both authors use the literary elements of theme and characterization in order to convey Cicero’s claim to the fullest extent.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, commits adultery in a Puritan society. Although to Puritan Society she is seen as the Sin and treated as the scum of society, however it is Hester, who receives the most glory from the reader and audience. After admitting her sin to society she is shunned and alienated. Her young daughter and she were ridiculed on a daily basis. Nobody wanted to associate themselves with her. Her daughter Pearl was also labeled as “the Devils child” and taunted by both adults and children. However both mother and daughter showed resilience to society and despite the struggles she had to face, she comes out as the victor. However her partner in crime, Dimmesdale did not follow the same path as his counterpart and proceeded to veil his guilt from society. At first he could withstand the guilt. However as time progressed throughout the novel, the guilt deteriorated him inside and out