in society‚ the reader can conclude that Hawthorne does not believe Puritans are necessarily civilized. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale scrutinize their own shame on a daily basis. In contrast‚ the Puritan counsel views this sin as a threat to the community‚ as it show-cases the role of shame in society and should be punished. In the Puritan elders’ eyes‚ shaming such behavior as Hester has committed purifies a community‚ as Hawthorne states‚ “The scene was not without a mixture of awe‚ such
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a force that the poor babe uttered another cry of pain. But the mother did not seem to hear it.” This passage shows the fear that Hester Prynne has of the people that are in the crowd. It shows that by holding the infant close to her bosom is a symbol of shame and embarrassment which she is trying to hide from her child. Also‚ when it says that basically Hester ignored her infants cry as she held her closer it shows that she feels it is more important to shelter the infant from reality. Also‚
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*Main Character: Hester Prynne Hester is the book’s protagonist and the wearer of the scarlet letter that gives the book its title. The letter‚ a patch of fabric in the shape of an “A‚” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.” As a young woman‚ Hester married an elderly scholar‚ Chillingworth‚ who sent her ahead to America to live but never followed her. While waiting for him‚ she had an affair with a Puritan minister named Dimmesdale‚ after which she gave birth to Pearl. Hester is passionate but
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heart… like a sexton delving into a grave…” (Hawthorne 117). Like his guilt‚ Chillingworth is tearing apart Dimmesdale from the inside out. Later in the story Hester confronts Chillingworth about his diabolical actions against Dimmesdale‚ in a hope to relieve the poor reverend of the bloodsucking leech that Chillingworth has become. Hester exclaims‚ “You tread behind his every footstep. You are beside him‚ sleeping and waking… you burrow and rankle in his heart… you cause him to die daily a living
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As I was debating topics to discuss in my Scarlet Letter paper‚ I stumbled across one more than intriguing concept: the modern “scarlet letter.” Though societal expectations have changed over time‚ the authority that we allow society to hold over us has remained constant. Today‚ social media has become what used to be a literal scarlet letter “A” as seen in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel. To me‚ this is an extremely interesting topic‚ as I also find myself succumbing to behavioral pressures that society
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but from the scorn of others‚ and thus‚ it imbues secrecy within the host. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ Pearl is endowed with the proclivity to unveil the truth that shrouds the sinners of the Puritan society‚ especially those of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl‚ a product of two sinners’ passion‚ is cast aside from the harsh Puritan society‚ which envelops her in the utmost freedom that is neither confined by Puritan laws nor thinking. In truth‚ Pearl is able to induce philosophical
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Chillingworth is inattentive and old. This very temperament of Chillingworth leads to the sadness present in Hester‚ provoking her decision to commit adultery. Chillingworth’s choice to marry such a young girl and then send her to Massachusetts by herself results in his first sin of the story. In seeking revenge upon Hester Prynne’s lover‚ Chillingworth changes his name from the previous “Roger Prynne” to “Roger Chillingworth” and also establishes himself as the town’s physician. Ironically‚ Chillingworth’s
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The book the Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ follows the story of Hester Prynne who is punished for the crime of adultery. The story starts off when Hester and her three month old baby‚ Pearl‚ is being brought out of prison and put on a scaffold and publicly humiliated. While she is standing there she spots her husband. Two years prior‚ he has sent her ahead to Massachusetts and was planning on coming later but never made it. He signals to her to keep quiet. While on the stage‚
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In The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ the use of public shaming has an everlasting effect on a woman named Hester Prynne after she commits adultery within her Puritan society. She was sentenced to stand on a platform in front of her entire community‚ and she must wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life. Public humiliation is the dishonoring showcase of a person for everyone in a community to see. To this day‚ some judges still use public humiliation to punish people for their
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Scarlet Letter‚ written by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ follows the story of Hester Prynne and her dealings with a nasty love triangle and life with the sin of adultery. Hawthorne also outlines the consequences of keeping secrets and the effects it may have on the lives of oneself and others. In this novel‚ Hester keeps many destructive secrets that harm more than herself and some that she should have shared before it got too late. Hester most likely believed that her secrets harmed herself and spared others
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