Similarities Between The Awakening And The Awakening

Sin, Love, and Solitude as Stimuluses in the Identification of One’s Individuality An oak tree’s leaves are constantly changing by the season, reacting to the world around them. They are easily swayed by the wind and rain, or battered and torn by these external influences. While a tree’s beauty may be judged by its leaves, the trunk is what truly holds it together. The trunk does not change with the weather; it is steadily and constantly growing, grounded to the earth with a grand yet invisible network of roots, and is what allows the tree to stand up independently. As is the human disposition, hidden behind a superficial personality that is judged by society, constantly reacting to the words and actions of others. However, what holds the individual together is their
While the protagonists differ in that Edna enjoys her newfound autonomy, whereas Hester perceives it as a punishment, they share key similarities in how they develop their self-identities, particularly through committing sinful actions, expressing discretional emotions of love, and accepting their positions of solitude, which allows the characters to form their individual values and recognize their independence.
Though sin is typically perceived as detrimental, both works demonstrate that sin is a fundamental aspect that is required for one to develop their self-identity. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery, a sin that is recognized as being incredibly contemptuous and disgraceful in the Puritan society of Boston in the 1600s. Her punishment, to live her life forever bearing the Scarlet Letter ‘A’ on her breast as a reminder of her actions, is viewed as on par with the only other option, death. However, it is this same grave punishment that places Hester into isolation, eventually resulting in her spending more time into inwardly