• Home Page
  • Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter

Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter

Improved Essays
Show More
In The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is a sinner of adultery. Hester has to wear the Scarlett “A” among her bosom. This letter “A” stands for adultery, this symbolizes when a man and a woman have a baby when they are not married. This sin is strongly looked down upon in the Puritan society. Hester has used her sin to become an overall stronger person. She has raised a daughter among a society that vigorously stood against her. Hester has proven too many characters within the novel that the Letter “A” does not just stand for adultery but, it stands for able. To many of the readers Hester Prynne can be looked viewed as if she is a good citizen or a bad citizen. But, I view Hester as a good citizen in Boston. In agreement,

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter
    • 589 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter

    The novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows the life of Hester Prynne, a woman living in Puritan America and forced to wear a scarlet letter that represents her sin of adultery. Although faced with hate, Hester manages to rise above it and help others. The novel classifies as a feminist novel because it shows a woman, alone in a world filled with discrimination, battle against society’s judgement and not giving into peer pressure. A feminist is someone who stands up for the equal treatment of men and women.…

    • 589 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne Isolation In Scarlet Letter
    • 197 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Hester Prynne Isolation In Scarlet Letter

    In The Scarlet Letter, the protagonist, Hester Prynne, commits adultery so she is publicly humiliated and shunned from the Puritan society. Before Hester is isolated from the society, she is forced to wear a scarlet A so that she is displayed to the Puritan society as an adulteress and a sinner. Despite the humiliation and the pain she suffered, she stands strong, bold and holds herself with exquisite dignity. She was ready to pay the price for her sin and never let guilt consume her. Unlike most people of her society, she confesses her sin and turns the scarlet A into a symbol of positivity and hope.…

    • 197 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Scarlet Letter Hester's Actions Change
    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Scarlet Letter Hester's Actions Change

    The Scarlet letter Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, the Scarlet Letter, conveys the theme that as people actions change so does others perspective of them, the character Hester’s scarlet letter “A” doesn’t just stand as a symbol by itself but as a symbol of Hester’s identity; as her actions change so does the towns thought on the scarlet letter as they do not recognize her scarlet letter as a sign of sin and adultery, but as a symbol of being able. What was meant to shame and disown Hester in time turned into the exact opposite. In this novel society gave Hester the scarlet letter as a sign of sin and adultery, which was to symbolize her identity given to her by the Puritans.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne Prejudice Quotes
    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hester Prynne Prejudice Quotes

    In The Scarlet Letter,by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, an adulterer, is confronted by her husband, Roger Chillingworth, while she is in prison. While Mr. Chillingworth is there he tells Hester that because of the A on her chest she will always be "a living sermon against sin" , a constant reminder of what not to do, and a warning of the consequences of sin. However Roger is mistaken in that belief because while Hester Prynne did face extreme prejudice for a substantial amount of time following her sentencing, as the years pass that hatred starts to dwindle. The reason for this dwindling is twofold, part of it being as time goes by seeing Hester with her red A on became a common sight and with nothing to kindle their fury they slowly became more accepting of Hester, since “ to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates” (110). The other part is that Hester starts to win their respect since she shows the town kindness and is always shown to be willing to help those in need.…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Pearl Symbolism In Scarlet Letter
    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Pearl Symbolism In Scarlet Letter

    2 In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is introduced to the reader as a woman who has committed adultery, a very serious sin in the eyes of her Puritan community. In order to punish her, the town makes her stand upon a “scaffolding on the pillory, an infant on her arm” as they stare with judgement(41). Hester must also wear a scarlet “A”, representing her sin. It lies on her chest “fantastically embroidered with gold thread” showcasing her sins (41). The over zealous townsfolk see her as a sacrilegious woman.…

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Does Hester Prynne Change In The Scarlet Letter
    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Hester Prynne Change In The Scarlet Letter

    Originally, the scarlet letter was symbolic of adultery. When Hester Prynne was publicly condemned for committing her sin, all eyes were on the prominent letter sewn to the breast of her gown. The letter “A” on Hester’s gown was conspicuous, as it was “surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread” (37). This letter drew all attention to Hester and her daughter, Pearl. With this stigma came the wrath and gossip of the Puritan townspeople.…

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter
    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

    His use of praising diction, enduring tone, and heroic allusion all paint Hester Prynne as a triumphed character. He shows us that nobody knows oneself, until the look deep down. One event does to classify who you are forever, but rather your response to a serious impactful event. The person who is able to see this, can change their lives for the better, which we can see with Hester Prynne. This accumulates to Nathaniel Hawthorne's main point of The Scarlett Letter, to not let a single event defy you, but rather your response to a serious…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Does Hawthorne Create A Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter
    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Hawthorne Create A Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter

    The author uses the scarlet letter, made into an “A” by Hester Prynne for her sin, throughout the story to symbolize Hester’s identity of herself. In the beginning of the story, Hester Prynne identified the “A” on her bosom to be what everyone else viewed it, “Adulterer.” Hawthorne described the letter as a, “...taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life,” in other words the letter was a reminder of her sin (10). Later the meaning of the letter fluctuated. The townspeople found it to mean that she was “Able.”…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    What Is Hester Prynne Role In The Scarlet Letter
    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What Is Hester Prynne Role In The Scarlet Letter

    In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is portrayed as a woman of remarkable strength. As punishment for her crime of adultery, Hester must wear the letter "A" on her chest for the rst of her life. Despite the hate and humiliation, she stays strong. We can see Hester's strength when she decides to hide the name of Pearl's father, and bear all the shame. Even though she knows if she gives him up her punishment will be lessened, she decides to keep him secret.…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Suffering In The Scarlet Letter
    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Suffering In The Scarlet Letter

    Though thought of a rigid and austere, in the case of the Scarlet Letter, a development is evident. The “A” is initially thought of a symbol of sin, it’s intended purpose. However, with Hester’s transformation into a better person, the Puritan community gradually shift their belief: “ … the scarlet letter cease[s] to be a stigma … and [becomes] looked upon with awe, yet with reverence, too” (234). The heroine uses the lessons the scarlet letter teaches her and bestows them on the rest of the community. By improving herself, Hester also improves her community and can positively alter how society perceives the…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Sin In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter
    • 657 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sin In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

    Committing a sin in the Puritan Society resulted in public embarrassment, jail time and a future of dislike. One of these sins would include adultery which Hester Prynne commits and has a living embodiment of this sin. The Puritan community sees Hester Prynne as a fallen woman, Dimmesdale a saint and Chillingworth a victim being the husband. The letter "A" has multiple different meanings based on what part of the story it is. Hester wears this letter as a representation of the sin and it is meant to show the struggle with her moral choices and reduce her to a dull, lifeless woman.…

    • 657 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne's Clothing In The Scarlet Letter
    • 285 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hester Prynne's Clothing In The Scarlet Letter

    In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet “A” on her clothing in order to broadcast to the community that she has sinned. Throughout the novel the letter’s meaning begins to change. While it originally stood for “Adulterer”, it has begun to stand for “Able” instead, due to Hester’s acceptance of her sin and talent in embroidery. In the beginning of the novel after Hester is convicted and forced to wear the “A”, she is entirely shunned and scorned by the community.…

    • 285 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter
    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hester Prynne In The Scarlett Letter

    R “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go,” are the wise words of T.S. Elliot. I have lived by these words since I was just a child. The adrenaline rush always leaves me wanting to take my chances. The effects of being a risk taker have drastically changed my life, good and bad. Knowing these things, if I were to be labled it would definitely be an R.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hester Prynne's Guilt In The Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • 1109 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hester Prynne's Guilt In The Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    It comes about when one commits a sin. Almost everyone is affected by it at some point in their life. It is a horrible feeling that eats away at one’s entire being causing great pain and distress. Many people do not realize the extraordinary power of guilt until they are subjected to the feeling itself. In The Scarlet Letter, characters, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale commit adultery, a very serious crime in the puritan community of 17th-century Boston.…

    • 1109 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Is Hester A Sinner
    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages

    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.…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings