Identity In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
Identity is who a person is, or what makes them different from others. A prominent theme in many books, including Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, is identity. An individual named Hester is unique from the rest of the Puritan society. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester Prynne’s unwillingness to conform to the ways of the Puritan society to display the theme of identity in The Scarlet Letter, and also backs Rousseau’s idea that society is corrupt. Hester Prynne exemplifies is a prime example of the theme identity in The Scarlet Letter. Hester has to wear the letter “A” on her clothing because of her sin. The “A” was removed from her chest for the first time since receiving it, and “[s]he had not known the weight until she felt the freedom” (Hawthorne
…show more content…
In his novel, A Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau begins to talk about the beginnings of society and man beginning to figure out society. “Instructed by experience that love of one’s own well beingwellbeing is the sole motive of human action, he found himself in a position to distinguish the rare occasions when common interest justified his relying on the aid of his fellows, and those even rarer occasions when competition should make him distrust him” (Rousseau 111). Rousseau is explaining that man is selfish and rarely needs to rely on others. The Puritan society only cares about themselves, and only uses others to make themselves feel better, like giving Hester the scarlet letter. Hester relies on her daughter Pearl. The two care about one another instead of solely caring about oneself. Rousseau begins to talk about self-esteem, and he states, “[e]ach began to look at the others and to want to be looked at himself; and public esteem came to be prized” (114). Rousseau shows self-esteem being formed. The Puritan society represents what Rousseau is saying. The members want to feel good about themselves, so they put others on trial in public to get a laugh. Hester was one of those put on trial, and had to wear the letter in return. She did not complain once, even with those of the society placing judge upon her. Hester vs. the Puritan society exemplifies Rousseau’s idea that society is
In his novel, A Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau begins to talk about the beginnings of society and man beginning to figure out society. “Instructed by experience that love of one’s own well beingwellbeing is the sole motive of human action, he found himself in a position to distinguish the rare occasions when common interest justified his relying on the aid of his fellows, and those even rarer occasions when competition should make him distrust him” (Rousseau 111). Rousseau is explaining that man is selfish and rarely needs to rely on others. The Puritan society only cares about themselves, and only uses others to make themselves feel better, like giving Hester the scarlet letter. Hester relies on her daughter Pearl. The two care about one another instead of solely caring about oneself. Rousseau begins to talk about self-esteem, and he states, “[e]ach began to look at the others and to want to be looked at himself; and public esteem came to be prized” (114). Rousseau shows self-esteem being formed. The Puritan society represents what Rousseau is saying. The members want to feel good about themselves, so they put others on trial in public to get a laugh. Hester was one of those put on trial, and had to wear the letter in return. She did not complain once, even with those of the society placing judge upon her. Hester vs. the Puritan society exemplifies Rousseau’s idea that society is