Redemption, is the act of making up for; making amends for or offsetting. Redemption is often looked at as a strong theme throughout many novels across the world. Three novels redemption finds its place in are The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, My Antonia by Willa Carther, and A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway. Each of these novels, in one way or another are considered stories of redemption. These three novels show the theme of redemption through strong character situations and changes that the characters face throughout each of their books.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel taking place in Puritan times, in which the protagonist, Hester Prynne, becomes pregnant, but no one knows who the father is. Hester …show more content…
Many readers may see that there is another situation in which a character redeems himself. This character is Jim Burden. At the start of the novel, the reader comes to find that Jim Burden has strong feelings for Antonia. Throughout the novel, we see Jim struggle with how it is he wants to show Antonia he loves her. Time passes in the book, and Jim tries to kiss Antonia, but is rejected. More time passes in the novel, and Jim is an adult now, it has been twenty years in which he has seen Antonia. When he finally sees her, he realizes that his love for Antonia still exists, but in a way that he is happy for her to be married with kids and happy with her life. Jim’s shows redemption here, because this whole time he was chasing a dream that would never happen, and it is not until the end of the novel, where he realizes that his love for Antonia can only be shown by being happy with …show more content…
Catherine is a character the reader meets early on, due to Henry meeting her at a hospital. Henry and Catherine’s relationship advances extremely quick, and they claim to be deeply in love right off the bat. Henry and Catherine’s relationship is clearly seen as very strange. This could be from the fact that they are both in poor mental state from the war and all the bad things the war has brought among them. Throughout the novel, we continue to see strange things happen with their relationship, and they often leave the reader asking why it is their relationship is this way. It is not until the end of the book, when Henry and Catherine run away to Switzerland, where we see a redemption in their relationship. They buy a house, and live much more peacefully and normally. Many readers would say it was the absence of the war that led to the redemption of their relationship, but either way, the reader will see that their relationship was very strange and unhealthy, until they redeem it in the ending chapters of the
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel taking place in Puritan times, in which the protagonist, Hester Prynne, becomes pregnant, but no one knows who the father is. Hester …show more content…
Many readers may see that there is another situation in which a character redeems himself. This character is Jim Burden. At the start of the novel, the reader comes to find that Jim Burden has strong feelings for Antonia. Throughout the novel, we see Jim struggle with how it is he wants to show Antonia he loves her. Time passes in the book, and Jim tries to kiss Antonia, but is rejected. More time passes in the novel, and Jim is an adult now, it has been twenty years in which he has seen Antonia. When he finally sees her, he realizes that his love for Antonia still exists, but in a way that he is happy for her to be married with kids and happy with her life. Jim’s shows redemption here, because this whole time he was chasing a dream that would never happen, and it is not until the end of the novel, where he realizes that his love for Antonia can only be shown by being happy with …show more content…
Catherine is a character the reader meets early on, due to Henry meeting her at a hospital. Henry and Catherine’s relationship advances extremely quick, and they claim to be deeply in love right off the bat. Henry and Catherine’s relationship is clearly seen as very strange. This could be from the fact that they are both in poor mental state from the war and all the bad things the war has brought among them. Throughout the novel, we continue to see strange things happen with their relationship, and they often leave the reader asking why it is their relationship is this way. It is not until the end of the book, when Henry and Catherine run away to Switzerland, where we see a redemption in their relationship. They buy a house, and live much more peacefully and normally. Many readers would say it was the absence of the war that led to the redemption of their relationship, but either way, the reader will see that their relationship was very strange and unhealthy, until they redeem it in the ending chapters of the