Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter takes place in Puritan Boston during the seventeenth century where the Puritans have created a religiously harsh society. Hester Prynne is publicly shamed and condemned to wear a scarlet A on her chest for the remainder of her life because she committed adultery. Hester is forced to live in isolation with her daughter Pearl, whose reputation is also ruined. Dimmesdale, although it is unknown to the Puritans that he committed adultery, does not feel free or safe in Puritan society anymore. The Puritans’ strict beliefs do not allow for any mistakes, which makes Dimmesdale so filled with guilt that he tortures himself for years. Trapped in a society where it is impossible to act and think by oneself without
…show more content…
The forest is described as dark; however, it “became the playmate of lonely [Pearl], as well as it knew how. Sombre as it was, it put on the kindest of its moods to welcome her” (195). The fact that the forest “put on the kindest of its mood to welcome her” stresses the innocence and the importance of Pearl as a character. She embraces Nature and it embraces her. While Nature is feared by the majority of members in the Puritan society, for it is unknown and uncontrollable to them, Pearl is unafraid due to the similarities between Nature and herself. Pearl was born out of wedlock, which makes her an outsider to society, unable to fit into Puritanism and all of its definitions of worthiness and purity. Nature is also unable to be controlled by the Puritans, creating a stronger connection with Pearl. The “mother-forest, and these wild things which it [nourishes], all [recognizes] a kindred wildness in the human child” and welcomes her because she is innocent, despite what others believe (195). Having been isolated from the town since birth, Pearl grew up uncorrupted by the Puritans and their strict religious beliefs. The forest remains the only friend and a place of safety to Pearl throughout the novel because it does not judge her for …show more content…
As Pearl dances in the sunlight, Hester attempts to grab some, but “as she attempted to do so, the sunshine vanished” (175). The sunlight represents happiness and change, which Hester does have not and is not ready to do. She continues to wear the scarlet A, making her still part of Puritan society, even though she lives in isolation. It is not until she throws the A on the forest ground that she smiles, which “forth [bursts] the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf” (193). Not only does throwing away her last connection to Puritanism give her happiness, but the forest as well. The image of sunshine “pouring a flood into the forest” emphasizes how important and great it was for Hester to release herself from the confinements Puritan society has forced upon her. Hester is no longer subjugated to the humiliation and the ruination of her reputation that Puritans controlled over her life. Even though the forest did not welcome her from the beginning, it remained a safe place for Hester to think freely throughout the novel, allowing her to eventually throw away the A and not feel guilty about doing
The forest is described as dark; however, it “became the playmate of lonely [Pearl], as well as it knew how. Sombre as it was, it put on the kindest of its moods to welcome her” (195). The fact that the forest “put on the kindest of its mood to welcome her” stresses the innocence and the importance of Pearl as a character. She embraces Nature and it embraces her. While Nature is feared by the majority of members in the Puritan society, for it is unknown and uncontrollable to them, Pearl is unafraid due to the similarities between Nature and herself. Pearl was born out of wedlock, which makes her an outsider to society, unable to fit into Puritanism and all of its definitions of worthiness and purity. Nature is also unable to be controlled by the Puritans, creating a stronger connection with Pearl. The “mother-forest, and these wild things which it [nourishes], all [recognizes] a kindred wildness in the human child” and welcomes her because she is innocent, despite what others believe (195). Having been isolated from the town since birth, Pearl grew up uncorrupted by the Puritans and their strict religious beliefs. The forest remains the only friend and a place of safety to Pearl throughout the novel because it does not judge her for …show more content…
As Pearl dances in the sunlight, Hester attempts to grab some, but “as she attempted to do so, the sunshine vanished” (175). The sunlight represents happiness and change, which Hester does have not and is not ready to do. She continues to wear the scarlet A, making her still part of Puritan society, even though she lives in isolation. It is not until she throws the A on the forest ground that she smiles, which “forth [bursts] the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf” (193). Not only does throwing away her last connection to Puritanism give her happiness, but the forest as well. The image of sunshine “pouring a flood into the forest” emphasizes how important and great it was for Hester to release herself from the confinements Puritan society has forced upon her. Hester is no longer subjugated to the humiliation and the ruination of her reputation that Puritans controlled over her life. Even though the forest did not welcome her from the beginning, it remained a safe place for Hester to think freely throughout the novel, allowing her to eventually throw away the A and not feel guilty about doing