The Scarlet letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The plot focuses on sin in the Puritan society. Hester Prynne‚ the protagonist‚ has an affair with Reverend Dimmesdale‚ which means they are adulterers and sinners. As a result‚ Pearl is born and Hester is forced to where the scarlet letter. Pearl is a unique character. She is Hester’s human form of her scarlet letter‚ which constantly reminds her of her sin‚ yet at the same time‚ Pearl is a blessing to have since she represents the passion
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Many punishments in the Puritan society are public. The point of this is to humiliate the “criminals” and make them feel as if they need to repent. There is nothing that the magistrates enjoy more than public confessions of the guilty (in text citation). The Scarlet Letter was written in the 1850’s and was based in this type of society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ the two main characters commit a similar sin but experience a different outcome. Hester and Arthur commit a very similar
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With his critical essay: "Hawthorne’s Awakening in the Customhouse" Loving gives the reader a psychoanalytical reading of The Scarlet Letter. Loving pays close attention to Hawthorne’s unconscious motives and feelings in his interpretation of Hawthorne’s writing. He is particularly concerned about the radical change of direction that Hawthorne takes in altering the initial course of his story by adding an unexpected ending. The ending‚ as presented to the reader in the last three chapters‚ undermines
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Literature Mrs Hanan-West February 22‚ 2010 Final Draft Does Hester Prynne’s Role in Puritan Society affect her feminism? Throughout the Scarlet Letter‚ Hawthorne depicts Hester as a dynamic character who is constantly struggling with her identity within the Puritan Society. Ever since her conviction of adultery and her punishment as the Scarlet Letter‚ the Puritan Society has tried labeling and identifying her with their terms and laws. Hester has also identified herself with these terms‚
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A comparison and contrast essay on private and public means of transport Cost * Private transportation by far is the more expensive option. The biggest cost of owning your own vehicle is the purchase price. Additionally‚ general maintenance such as oil changes‚ filling the gas tank and auto insurance are ongoing costs of owning a car. Car repairs and parking fees are also sometimes necessary. When choosing public transportation‚ you pay per ride and the fee is usually quite small‚ plus you
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to do with her mother’s scarlet letter. Pearl Hester’s daughter‚ Pearl‚ functions primarily as a symbol. She is quite young during most of the events of this novel—when Dimmesdale dies she is only seven years old—and her real importance lies in her ability to provoke the adult characters in the book. She asks them pointed questions and draws their attention‚ and the reader’s‚ to the denied or overlooked truths of the adult world. In general‚ children in The Scarlet Letter are portrayed as more perceptive
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The Reader Bernhard Schlink Themes War Guilt One of the main ideas in The Reader is German war guilt - guilt felt by both the war-time generation and the post-war generation. The post-war generation‚ to which the author‚ Schlink‚ belongs‚ has struggled to come to terms with the war crimes committed by the previous generation. The novel begins with a sick Michael being comforted by the maternal Hanna. This is an obvious symbol for the idea that the post-war generation needs to confront the deeds
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In The Scarlet Letter‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes Puritan ideology to convey a philosophical reflection on sin and redemption. Adulteress Hester Prynne must wear a scarlet A to mark her shame‚ and while her lover‚ Arthur Dimmesdale‚ remains unidentified and is wracked with guilt‚ her husband‚ Roger Chillingworth‚ seeks revenge. Although all three characters contemplate redemption‚ it is only Hester that chooses to confront her sin; Dimmesdale and Chillingworth refuse. This decision is heavily influenced
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“Such helpfulness was found in her‚ - so much power to do‚ and power to sympathize.” (110) In the novel The Scarlet Letter‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne uses literary elements such as: symbolism‚ irony and conflict to show that the punishment imposed on one by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we impose on ourselves. In the beginning of the novel the community is unwelcoming to Hester Prynne and her newborn Pearl. This creates a conflict against her and the society; while she knows she committed
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In Nanthaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ Hester‚ the main character‚ is forced to wear the letter A’ on her chest symbolizing her act of adultery with an unknown person. Through his novel Hawthorne sought to demonstrate how‚ under certain circumstances‚ the personal consequences of a crime may serve as sufficient punishment. In early Puritan America‚ adulterer’s generally suffered execution. Yet‚ in Hester’s case‚ she was only required to wear the scarlet letter as her husband and her lover
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