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Compare And Contrast Scarlet Letter And Their Eyes Were Watching God

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Comparison and Contrast Essay Female oppression is shown in many different forms including male power and body image. In the novels, Hurston and Hawthorne both show female oppression, but they show them in different ways. In both The Scarlet Letter and Their Eyes Were Watching God female oppression is shown differently through male power and body image. Male power is shown in The Scarlet Letter when Hester is punished for committing adultery while Dimmesdale received nothing. “... Hester Prynne set forth towards the place appointed for her punishment.” (Hawthorne 3). “At last!-- at last!-- I stand upon the spot where, seven years since, I should have stood. He bids you look again at Hester’s scarlet letter! With a convulsive motion, he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast. It was revealed!” (265-266). These quotes show how Hester received punishment and Dimmesdale didn’t. In Their Eyes …show more content…
Male power in The Scarlet Letter is shown when Hester is punished for her sin while Dimmesdale lives a free life. However, in Their Eyes Were Watching God male power is shown when Jody tells Janie how to dress, and she has no right to object to the demand.

In The Scarlet Letter body image is shown when Hester is standing on the scaffold for everyone to see. Her purpose there is to serve as an example to young girls. In Their Eyes Were Watching God body image is shown differently. Janie is made, by Jody, to put her hair up to help conceal her beauty.
Both The Scarlet Letter and Their Eyes Were Watching God are well written novels that are similar yet different. These novels both show female oppression through male power and body image making them similar. Because the novels show female oppression through male power and body image in different ways the books are different at the same time that they are

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