Internal and External Conflicts
The Scarlet Letter: Internal and External Conflicts
In the novel, the Scarlet Letter, there are four main characters, Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Prynne Chillingworth. The story goes; Hester Prynne committed the sin of adultery with the minister of their Puritan Community, Arthur Dimmesdale, the community then condemning her to wear the scarlet letter “A” for the rest of her natural life. Pearl Prynne being the product of the two sinners. In the moment, when Hester is completing the first part of her punishment, her long lost husband, Roger Prynne Chillingworth, arrives. Not wanting his arrival acknowledge Roger replaces his maiden name for Chillingworth. This situation creates a whole plot of conflicts both external and internal in all of the four main characters. All main characters in the novel interact to create these conflicts, and the community is as well involved in these conflicts. Hester Prynne is pointed out as the protagonist/heroine of the novel. Being one of the main characters in the story she had many conflicts. One internal conflict of hers would be the embarrassment and the realization of her present and future. In chapter 2 paragraph 22 it states, “Could it be true?… she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and shame were real. Yes! – these were her realities, - all else had vanished.” In this quote she realized that everything happening to her was in fact the real deal. Stating the obvious of course, but she had just been in prison and had the birth of her child! This is an internal conflict because this does have her dealing with the pain in her heart of wearing the symbol “A” or taking care of a child with the father unknown to the public. This leading to another internal conflict for Madame Prynne, that being having to raise little Pearl all on her own. Living the life of a single mother is quite difficult during that time and in
In the novel, the Scarlet Letter, there are four main characters, Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Prynne Chillingworth. The story goes; Hester Prynne committed the sin of adultery with the minister of their Puritan Community, Arthur Dimmesdale, the community then condemning her to wear the scarlet letter “A” for the rest of her natural life. Pearl Prynne being the product of the two sinners. In the moment, when Hester is completing the first part of her punishment, her long lost husband, Roger Prynne Chillingworth, arrives. Not wanting his arrival acknowledge Roger replaces his maiden name for Chillingworth. This situation creates a whole plot of conflicts both external and internal in all of the four main characters. All main characters in the novel interact to create these conflicts, and the community is as well involved in these conflicts. Hester Prynne is pointed out as the protagonist/heroine of the novel. Being one of the main characters in the story she had many conflicts. One internal conflict of hers would be the embarrassment and the realization of her present and future. In chapter 2 paragraph 22 it states, “Could it be true?… she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and shame were real. Yes! – these were her realities, - all else had vanished.” In this quote she realized that everything happening to her was in fact the real deal. Stating the obvious of course, but she had just been in prison and had the birth of her child! This is an internal conflict because this does have her dealing with the pain in her heart of wearing the symbol “A” or taking care of a child with the father unknown to the public. This leading to another internal conflict for Madame Prynne, that being having to raise little Pearl all on her own. Living the life of a single mother is quite difficult during that time and in