An Individual’s Quarrels Against Society Whether or not they have the intention to do so, the mainstream ideas and beliefs of society can often fuel the flame of conflict for those who fail to conform. Generally speaking, society has a great impact on an individual’s mood, self-esteem, and can even mold one’s character. The Scarlet Letter takes place in a devout Puritan town where a woman named Hester Prynne, who refuses to reveal the identity of her child’s father, is found guilty of adultery. Due to this, not only does Hester Prynne have to fight her own quarrel against society, the reader can see conflicts of man versus society with Pearl, Hester’s daughter, Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband, and Reverend Dimmesdale, Pearl’s father.
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Similarly to how mainstream ideas in modern-day times can spark debate and lead to the oppression of certain groups of people, society’s view of “sinful” characters in Hawthorne’s novel greatly determined the individual’s self-worth and conscience. Hester, due to her sinful reputation, has a difficult time being around the common people due to their judgmental stares toward her bright red letter. Similarly, due to being the child of Hester, the novel’s society refuses to accept Pearl. Without having any control over her fate, Pearl was essentially an outcast before she was even born. Moreover, Roger Chillingworth also becomes a victim of societal judgment due to his ominously close proximity to the evidently pained minister. Additionally, society’s great expectation of Reverend Dimmesdale causes great grief and agony for the minister. As time goes on, and as society keeps him on a high pedestal, his discomfort grows to the point of having an accidental conflict with the general population. Ultimately, the religiously-devout society of The Scarlet Letter was the most prominent instigator of conflicts between it and the main characters in the
Similarly to how mainstream ideas in modern-day times can spark debate and lead to the oppression of certain groups of people, society’s view of “sinful” characters in Hawthorne’s novel greatly determined the individual’s self-worth and conscience. Hester, due to her sinful reputation, has a difficult time being around the common people due to their judgmental stares toward her bright red letter. Similarly, due to being the child of Hester, the novel’s society refuses to accept Pearl. Without having any control over her fate, Pearl was essentially an outcast before she was even born. Moreover, Roger Chillingworth also becomes a victim of societal judgment due to his ominously close proximity to the evidently pained minister. Additionally, society’s great expectation of Reverend Dimmesdale causes great grief and agony for the minister. As time goes on, and as society keeps him on a high pedestal, his discomfort grows to the point of having an accidental conflict with the general population. Ultimately, the religiously-devout society of The Scarlet Letter was the most prominent instigator of conflicts between it and the main characters in the