When Nathaniel Hawthorne set out to write “The Great American Novel” in the late 1840s, he knew a level of complexity would be necessary to convey the many aspects of each character. Hawthorne achieved this level of complexity partially by using visible characteristics to show the internal development of each character. Throughout the novel, Hester Prynne evolves from a position of pure, haughty defiance to a more resigned, complacent position in society. Hawthorne uses Hester’s beauty and outward appearance to show this transformation. Hawthorne also uses Hester’s aging and appearance to show her change into a maternal figure. At the start of the novel, while Hester is technically a mother, she is hardly maternal in nature. However later
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At the start of the novel when Hester’s shame is new and novel for the rest of the town, she is treated like an immature teenager but as the story progresses Hester chooses to create a separate identity for herself. She allows herself to age by no longer dressing in beautiful clothing or keeping her hair down: “It might be partly owing to the studied austerity of her dress.... Too, that her rich and luxuriant hair had either been cut off, ofr was so completely hidden by a cap” (pg 128) Her plainer appearance made her seem older and more motherly. In addition to her outward appearance, her actions in society show her increasing maternalism. Hester becomes a nurse-like figure: “(she came) into the the household that was darkened by trouble” and aids the ill and their family. (pg 126) These actions cause her reputation to change, enough that some people created a new meaning for her scarlet letter “they said that it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne”. (pg 127) Throughout the novel Hester evolves into a motherly figure to her own child and to all of her …show more content…
However at the climax of the story, the reader comes to understand through Hester’s body language and words both traits return to earlier states. After deciding to leave with Dimmesdale, in a rush of exhilaration, Hester flings off the scarlet letter and feels relief: “the stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which a burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit”. (pg 158) But then she proceeds to loosen her hair: “down it fell upon her shoulders, dark and rich” (pg 158). Her renewed beauty also renews her defiance against society, in large part because she just decided to leave. In addition, Hawthorne pointedly shows Hester’s youthful beauty: “her youth, and the whole richness of her beauty” (pg 158). The emphasis on her youngness reminds the reader of her immaturity at the start of the novel. In the next chapter, when Hester calls to Pearl, she refuses to come and return to her mother: “(Pearl) remained on the other side of the brook”. (pg 163) Hawthorne’s use of Pearl’s body language shows the diversion of Hester’s increasing maternity. While the majority of the book follows a trend for the evolution of Hester, Hawthorne uses the juxtaposition of her characteristics to convey the
At the start of the novel when Hester’s shame is new and novel for the rest of the town, she is treated like an immature teenager but as the story progresses Hester chooses to create a separate identity for herself. She allows herself to age by no longer dressing in beautiful clothing or keeping her hair down: “It might be partly owing to the studied austerity of her dress.... Too, that her rich and luxuriant hair had either been cut off, ofr was so completely hidden by a cap” (pg 128) Her plainer appearance made her seem older and more motherly. In addition to her outward appearance, her actions in society show her increasing maternalism. Hester becomes a nurse-like figure: “(she came) into the the household that was darkened by trouble” and aids the ill and their family. (pg 126) These actions cause her reputation to change, enough that some people created a new meaning for her scarlet letter “they said that it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne”. (pg 127) Throughout the novel Hester evolves into a motherly figure to her own child and to all of her …show more content…
However at the climax of the story, the reader comes to understand through Hester’s body language and words both traits return to earlier states. After deciding to leave with Dimmesdale, in a rush of exhilaration, Hester flings off the scarlet letter and feels relief: “the stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which a burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit”. (pg 158) But then she proceeds to loosen her hair: “down it fell upon her shoulders, dark and rich” (pg 158). Her renewed beauty also renews her defiance against society, in large part because she just decided to leave. In addition, Hawthorne pointedly shows Hester’s youthful beauty: “her youth, and the whole richness of her beauty” (pg 158). The emphasis on her youngness reminds the reader of her immaturity at the start of the novel. In the next chapter, when Hester calls to Pearl, she refuses to come and return to her mother: “(Pearl) remained on the other side of the brook”. (pg 163) Hawthorne’s use of Pearl’s body language shows the diversion of Hester’s increasing maternity. While the majority of the book follows a trend for the evolution of Hester, Hawthorne uses the juxtaposition of her characteristics to convey the