“Strength In What Remains” by Tracy Kidder, might seem a companion piece to his best-selling ”Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World” (2003). This story starts out as Farmer, whose foundation Partner’s in Health has reinvented health care delivery in some of the world’s poorest regions, figures briefly in this new book as a mentor to its central figure, Deogratias Niyizonkiza. Kidder in fact met Deo in Boston while researching Farmer’s history, though three years elapsed before he began investigating Deo’s own dramatic story. Deo escaped from the 1993-1994 ethnic genocides of Burundi and Rwanda. He reinvented himself as an American immigrant, and, inspired by Partner’s in Health, returned…
Strength is a quality exhibited and possessed by the characters in Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief. While on a chase during a rainstorm to escape a monster from taking them alive, lightning strikes their car and are stuck to fight with the monster itself. His mother is killed after the monster takes her in his grip and Percy furiously takes on the monster and grabs its horn to stab it, even if it was twice his size. Even if the monster is something nearly impossible to win against, he pushes himself to fight the monster with his best ability. While still grieving over his dead mother, Percy learns to adapt and get used to Camp Half-Blood as he realizes that the blood of the Gods run through his veins. In the midst of being trampled on by…
The people of the town see otherwise until they see the great improvement in her attitude as she's helping by doing various tasks in her town. When walking through town, “…she never raised her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter and passed on” (Hawthorne, 127). The guilt is destroying her and overwhelming which results in her change in the novel. A living reminder of her sin of course Pearl, her constant companion. One also affected by Hester's change is her daughter Pearl; the same traits that Hester has are displayed by pearl in the story. It is true what Hester believes in as far as committing sin help one discover themselves but run the risk of being talked down soon by friends or just the local town folk. She uses her experiences and helps change the perspective of the to the townsfolk, regarding their idea on the letter "A". How does this not bother her? Hester is strong mentally as she is physical. One of the greatest sins is not taking a toll on her reputation because others seem to look past it and notice her for the person she has become and not the girl she was before she committed the…
Hester Prynne and Abigail Williams have both committed a crime and they are both hated by their societies. However, there are also differences between the two characters. Hester Prynne is the better Puritan woman of the two because she did not commit as many sins as Abigail did, she was not as secretive about it, and her actions only directly affected herself and her child, unlike Abigail who caused the deaths of so many people.…
Even though they both sinned, they each spent their lives gaining penance in their own way. Hester was an outcast of the community. Moreover, she got treated as the town punching bag practically. As a result, she always was in pain and suffering even if she didn't show it at times. Additionally, she knew that she had to bear the weight of the “A” on her bosom. Hester could have been happy and felt free by removing the scarlet letter, but instead she kept it on because she knew she had to in order…
How so? “Hester Prynne went, one day, to the mansion of Governor Bellingham, with a pair of gloves, which she had fringed and embroidered to his order, and which were to be worn on some great occasion of state” (Hawthorne 68). She works as an embroiderer who crafts different kinds of fabrics to people. Throughout the seven years before we get back into the story she doesn’t really do much in the way of sin so that’s why the thing that she is has transitioned so. In fact, she’s done some work to where her reputation may have reversed in the eyes of god, work such as charity. “they had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that one sin, for which she had borne so long and dreary a penance, but of her many good deeds since. “Do you see that woman with the embroidered badge?” they would say to strangers. “It is our Hester,-the town’s own Hester,- who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted!”” ( Hawthorne 111). Through this she turned her image around and became known as not only a good person, but also a person that can be used for…
and is surrounded by in 17th century Massachusetts. Pearl allows the reader to see how Hester struggles physically in her ability to raise a child alone while being an adulteress. Pearl also reminds Hester of her sin constantly, despite this Hester still loves her. Lastly the scarlet letter is the symbol of Hester's sin. Throughout T he Scarlet Letter the reader is able to see how Hester struggles with her shame, exile, persecution, and anger as she struggles to raise a wild child. These symbols leads the reader to be wary of their actions because they will be confronted, whether it be on in this life or…
Her standing in the town changed over the years to be known as ‘able’ and not ‘adulteress.’ “Such helpfulness was found in her--so much power to do, and power to sympathize--that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength,” (pg. 56, line 29). People changed their opinions because of the good Hester brought with her to the town. When others were in need, they could always count on Hester to help them out. If a disliked task needed done, Hester would employ her services; if someone needed a few extra hands, Hester’s would be…
In the scarlet letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, both excepts and rejects traditional gender roles for her culture. This is evident throughout the whole book as she rejects the typical stereotype of women of this day in time, while she also follows along with it as well. Also in this book it is obvious of another character who is less of what the typical man should be. Therefore making Hester Prynne a powerful symbol of strength for women by not completely conforming to the typical role that women often played during this point in time in the puritan society.…
In the beginning of the novel, Hester’s community, specifically the goodwives, discuss how they are angry with Hester’s punishment because they think it is not severe enough. One of the goodwives says, “I’ll tell ye a piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we women, being of mature age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne. What think ye, gossips? If the hussy stood up for judgment before us five, that are now here in a knot together, would she come off with such a sentence as the worshipful magistrates have awarded? Marry, I trow not!” (46) This quote shows the community’s resentment of Hester near the beginning of the novel. However, later in the book, it is revealed that as the years have gone by, Hester gained much respect and love through the community because of her hard work and her charity services. Her symbol, the scarlet letter, has also changed in meaning over time. Now, it is not a symbol of sin and isolation, but instead a symbol of Hester’s strength and kindness. Hawthorne says, “Such helpfulness was found in her,--so much power to do, and power to sympathize,--that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They say that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a…
In The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynn was accused and found guilty of adultery after the birth of her child, while her husband was away. Because of this she was condemned to wear a scarlet and gold letter on her chest. Due to this letter,…
Heroes and heroines of the literary canon have long faced strife and turmoil. In meeting these challenges, they have demonstrated incredible grace under pressure and have subsequently built admirable strength of character. Ruth Copeland, from The Third Life of Grange Copeland, had to overcome generational poverty and ignorance. Ruth uses her patience to overcome adversity and hegemony. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne overcame being a sinner and an adulterer. She allows others to see the strength she gained and her acceptance to the punishment society imposed on her. Both characters overcame some kind of hegemony and ignorance that surrounded them.…
The scarlet letter brings with it the punishing mockery and humiliation from her fellow Puritans, so continuing to bear this mark requires a great amount of strength. Hawthorne wrote Hester’s character to seem beautiful yet powerful in that she believes her own sinful ways cannot be redeemed or reconciled without proper punishment. Until Hester believes that she has renounced her sinful ways and learned from her mistakes, she will not allow herself or anyone in the town to remove the letter. During her discourse with Roger Chillingworth regarding the removal of the scarlet letter, Hester responds, “It lies not in the pleasure of the magistrates to take off this badge...Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should speak a different purport” (153). Hester believes that it is not in her own power or the power of the town to remove the scarlet letter from her bosom. Although the letter can be physically removed, it cannot be removed by God until Hester becomes worthy of its removal. Hester also discusses the removal of the scarlet letter when she faces public humiliation for her crimes near the beginning of her story. Near the end of the novel, when Hester returns from Europe to Boston without Pearl, Hester still continues to wear the letter. Hawthorne describes this event when he writes, “But her hesitation was only for an instant, though long enough to display a scarlet letter on her breast. And Hester Prynne had returned, and taken up her long-forsaken shame” (233) Although Hester has already completed her punishment of bearing the shame of the scarlet letter, she still continues to wear the letter after returning. This not only characterizes Hester as a determined woman, but also shows how the scarlet letter has become a part…
Hester Prynne, the main character of the book "The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, commits adultery, is considered a hussy, and has a child as the result of her sin. She cheats on her husband while he is absent from town and receives a harsh punishment for her behavior already. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life. It is now on debate on whether or not Pearl should be taken away from her mother’s guidance. This is due to the fact that she is a sinner and might not be a qualified mother for her child.It is true, that no matter what you did in the past, a child is a blessing and parents change due to the love they have for their children. Therefore, Hester Prynne is a good mother and she has been taking actions to prove so.…
There are many issues with health care spending predicting the upcoming years. There are many questions individuals ask, such as will the premium and deductible be affordable? How will it affect the health care spending? And will it reduce health care cost? After reviewing the article Health Care Reform 2 it describes important issues with the Obamacare. The article states the Obamacare will not reduce health care spending because the Obamacare the achievement source will begin next year. However, it does not show the government how successful the Obamacare will be or either shows how it will benefit the economy. The author opinion of the Obamacare will not decrease health care spending he feels like it would increase the health care spending. His predicts in 11 years Americans will spend $1.8 trillion on the new government funding for the poor and middle-class individuals uninsured to obtain health insurance and to increase. In review from the author point-of-view the Obamacare law does not address or control the sudden increase of health care cost. The next question was stated was will the Obamacare reduce reimbursement for Medicare physicians? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid department has predicted Americans will spend $36.8 trillion over the next 10 years in health care. “The author’s opinion without passing the Obamacare law, the country will spend less than $500 billion in the next ten10 years” (Howard, 2013, p. 1) If the Obamacare is passed will families and employers face raising cost? The article states from the time when the Obamacare passed it have increased health care by 11.3%, Depending on the family size working families will have to add in 27%, more on his or her part. By dropping out-of-pocket cost for consumers the Obamacare will decrease incentives of the health care cost for the consumers. Overview of the author point of view he…