How Is Hester A Sinner

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is publicly put to shame for committing adultery. Other than being isolated from the town, she is given the letter ‘A’ to wear permanently. As the novel continues, Hawthorn highlights her strong characteristics as she manages being a sinner. John Updike established the character of Hester as a “mythic version of every woman’s attempt to integrate her sexuality with societal demands.” It can be concluded that Updike intended to say that because of Hester’s strong characteristics, such as being loyal and independent, she changed the meaning of the letter ‘A’, which she wore every single day, and is a representation of what other women look up to in society. In the novel, Hester is degraded as a women for having a child with a man out of her marriage. Throughout the novel, Hester is repeatedly asked to tell the truth about who she committed her sin with, yet she never once reveals the name of …show more content…
That is incorrect towards the ending, she is asked if she has found peace and she “smiled drearily, looking down upon her bosom” (131). Hester is what other women wasn’t to be because she moved on from the difficult turn in her life. She received closure on her own and became happy. Society often more than not makes it seem as if individuals will always be in the same situation, as if there is no way they can become happy once again. Hester being a representation of what women would like to be, shows that you can move past it on your own and be happy. Updike analyzes the qualities that makes Hester a strong character in the novel and captures them. He makes it to the point where other women can look up to her for it and want to be like her in our society. His statement is qualified to say the least because she is independent, strong, and works on her own just as many other women would like to