How Do People Change In The Scarlet Letter
People change because of their experiences. The Scarlet Letter demonstrates this exceptionally well, as writer Nathaniel Hawthorne depicts what happens to a person when confronted with sin. Hawthorn shows this by focusing on two of the main character that are most affected by their sins, Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. On one hand there is Hester Prynne a woman who has sinned but instead of running from it faces the problems head on; with a scarlet letter on her chest and a child on her hip. On the other you have Arthur Dimmesdale a man who fled from his sin, hiding the truth from the public, and could not be guiltier. Both have committed the same sin, but have wildly different experiences due to the choices they have made on
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Anyone can see proof of her sin by looking at the intricate, scarlet “A” on her chest and by her child that walks by her side. Its because of these two reminders that Hester is changed, society has declared her an outcast and banished her from ever being allowed back into their webs. The isolation that Hester has to deal with is a cause for her change. Her experiences have forever changed her and can be see throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel Hester barely resists the urge to cover the “A” woven into her clothes, ashamed of what the mark means, and she is constantly aware of the eyes that see the mark over her heart (Hawthorn 50). As the novel progresses her shame is still there but she has developed more tolerance and realizes that the mark that she holds is proof of her penance. The scarlet “A” no longer means Adultery to others, it means Able. Hester no longer hides her mark, when passing others she points at the “A” over her heart to replace the normal greeting (Hawthorne 134). Hester has faced her sin head on repenting heavily and has been forgiven by the public; finding peace in her constant atonement. In the end of the novel she has accepted her sin and her burden and shame were gone: released from her soul (Hawthorne
Anyone can see proof of her sin by looking at the intricate, scarlet “A” on her chest and by her child that walks by her side. Its because of these two reminders that Hester is changed, society has declared her an outcast and banished her from ever being allowed back into their webs. The isolation that Hester has to deal with is a cause for her change. Her experiences have forever changed her and can be see throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel Hester barely resists the urge to cover the “A” woven into her clothes, ashamed of what the mark means, and she is constantly aware of the eyes that see the mark over her heart (Hawthorn 50). As the novel progresses her shame is still there but she has developed more tolerance and realizes that the mark that she holds is proof of her penance. The scarlet “A” no longer means Adultery to others, it means Able. Hester no longer hides her mark, when passing others she points at the “A” over her heart to replace the normal greeting (Hawthorne 134). Hester has faced her sin head on repenting heavily and has been forgiven by the public; finding peace in her constant atonement. In the end of the novel she has accepted her sin and her burden and shame were gone: released from her soul (Hawthorne