Suffering in Silence Guilt is a universal human experience. Stealing food from other family members, telling a white lie, forgetting a close friend’s birthday, cheating on your significant other - these are examples of situations that cause guilt to different degrees. The varying intensity of guilt dictates how one allows their action to effect them. In some cases, guilt hardly has an affect on an individual, while in others it can crush a person. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, guilt looms over Hester Prynne after committing the scandalous sin of adultery with Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester must live with her sin publicly with all of society criticizing her mistakes, Dimmesdale chooses to deal with his guilt in private. Even
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Once both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth die, the only person left to carry the cumbersome sin is Hester. However, her acceptance of her actions allows Hester to focus on important aspects of her life, such as the community, instead of the sin that impedes her place in society for many years. Hester continues her embroidering business, bringing life and beauty to the dull community, by stitching a infant’s garment, “with such a lavish richness of golden fancy” (234). Now free of public judgement, Hester can share her gift of embellishing with the entire community. Hester’s life also improves because of the changes to the Puritan society. 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
Once both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth die, the only person left to carry the cumbersome sin is Hester. However, her acceptance of her actions allows Hester to focus on important aspects of her life, such as the community, instead of the sin that impedes her place in society for many years. Hester continues her embroidering business, bringing life and beauty to the dull community, by stitching a infant’s garment, “with such a lavish richness of golden fancy” (234). Now free of public judgement, Hester can share her gift of embellishing with the entire community. Hester’s life also improves because of the changes to the Puritan society. 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