The Scarlett Letter Argumentative Essay In the Scarlett Letter by Hawthorn‚ public humiliation is used as a form of punishment. In that place and time period‚ the seventeenth century‚ Puritanical Boston‚ Massachusettes‚ this form of punishment was quite common. There was no separation of church and state at that time and since Puritan beliefs were based on good versus evil‚ it was a common practice to humiliate‚ chastise‚ and berate people as a scare tactic to keep order. Fast forward to the
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"morally perfect‚" but hypocritical society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter‚ Hester Prynne was created as a self-reliant character that indirectly exploits the flaws and hypocrisy of Puritan society‚ as well as to prove Hester as a survivor. In addition to Hester and self-reliance‚ Hawthorne reveals the hypocrisy of Puritan society. Hester is a symbol of self-reliance because she resumes wearing the scarlet letter "A‚" a symbol of her adulterous act and she stayed loyal to herself by daring
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The Scarlet Letter is an intriguing book about the consequences of sin. The three main characters of this book are Hester Prynne‚ Pearl‚ and Arthur Dimmesdale. At the beginning of the book‚ the reader sees that Hester has committed a sin‚ as she is displayed in public with two marks of shame‚ a baby‚ and on her chest‚ the letter A in scarlet and gold embroidery. This is because Hester had committed adultery. In the beginning of the book the man who had also taken part in the sin is unknown to
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The final scaffold scene in The Scarlet Letter serves as an illuminating incident where various themes and there meanings are explained. The kiss Arthur and his daughter share and how it transforms Pearl into a compassionate human shows the reader why Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasized the importance of their kiss in previous scenes. Pearl is explained throughout the books as an “elf-child” but her interaction with the reverend finally enlightens her and tell the reader her relationship with her father
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At the start of the book‚ Hester is a young woman with a newborn baby. She has been alone in New England for the past two years because her husband‚ a wealthy scholar from England‚ sent her ahead to the Massachusetts Bay Colony while he took care of business at home. The arrival of a baby was sufficient evidence to convict her of adultery. It is difficult to know what kind of person Hester was before the book begins. However‚ the book opens with her sudden acknowledgment of shame as she stands before
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differences between Hester Prynne and Edna Pontellier. Although The Scarlet Letter and The Awakening were written in different times and tell the story of dissimilar communities in which both main protagonists need to break the rules governing the society in order to explore their inner selves and fulfill individual desires. What both women share is the fact that they had troubles to find themselves among the people they lived with and accept the rules of the community. What is more Hester‚ as well as
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Hester Prynne‚ in the eyes of the Puritans violated her religion’s principle: turning to sex for lust. By doing so‚ she defies “Puritanic code of law” (Hawthorne 50); therefore‚ as a punishment‚ she must wear an embroiled scarlet letter "A" on her bosom to mark her sin. However‚ Hawthorne contrasts the Puritan beliefs by using Romantic philosophy. Hester is portrayed as a young and beautiful woman who committed adultery but eventually earns the respect of most villagers. Not only Hester‚ but
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Published in 1850‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ is a book based on sin‚ guilt‚ and redemption. A woman‚ Hester Prynne‚ must bear the guilt of sin by wearing a scarlet “A” on her bosom. The reason she wears this letter is because she had a child by a man‚ Arthur Dimmesdale‚ who is not her husband‚ Roger Chillingworth. Although she has committed the sin of adultery with Dimmesdale‚ her husband is also guilty of being a sinner himself. According to the narrator in Chapter 14‚ “This unhappy
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As years have gone by and cultures have changed‚ the religious justice systems have evolved just as quickly. The book‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ emphasizes the harsh justice system of the Puritan lifestyle. The author‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ uses his creativity to throw a spotlight on Puritan ideals and political systems. These ideals and political systems have shaped a large portion of our current cultural and moral expectations. For instance‚ the puritan forms of discipline‚ which Hawthorne hopes to detract
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twisted relationship. Although Hester did sin‚ she remained true to herself and wore the A as her duty. However‚ Dimmesdale‚ whom was the dad‚ preached and kept punishing her even though he committed the same sin. I agree with Carpenter and his views. Hester’s sin was not completely her fault. The author explains‚ “Because Hester Prynne was so perfectly loyal and loving that she would never abandon her lover‚ she was condemned by the Puritans” (Carpenter). I believe Hester never tried finding a way out
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