Who Is Hester's Redemption In The Scarlet Letter

In “The Scarlet Letter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a young woman named Hester Prynne moves to a puritan Boston society. When her husband does not follow her to America, she has an affair with the Reverend Dimmesdale. When she becomes pregnant, the town sentences her to a public shaming, and forces her to wear an A on her shoulder, marking her as an Adulterer for the rest of her life. Hester makes much effort to redeem herself from her sin, and ultimately becomes a functioning part of society. While the book is about Hester, it is no so much about her innate character, as it is much more focused on the forces that change her after she sins, and how she reconciles with what she has done.
Before her public shaming, the book portrays her as a strong …show more content…
The narrator pretends to have a puritan perspective, but really has a more modern undertone, so while the narrator is often against Hester, he often appears to be cheering her on, pushing for personal happiness over redemption. The narrator describes her as “characterized by a certain state and dignity,” and suggesting that he is rooting for her redemption. While many puritan leaders are completely against thinking of the scarlet letter as a prideful piece, the narrator backs Hester by saying that the scarlet letter is “fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom.” While it may seem to the townspeople that it is impossible for Hester to redeem herself, Hester believes in herself and services the community through weaving, and finally, the townspeople let her take the letter off. Hester continues to wear the letter, further redeeming herself. While Hester committed a large sin with adultery, the narrator seems to think that Hester has punished herself enough to be able to leave her sin in the