Glinda, the good witch, realized that Dorothy possessed a great power simply by the knowledge she had of herself. By knowing her mind, heart, and courage, Dorothy was not only already home, but powerful. Much more powerful than the cowardly lion, the heartless tinman, and the oblivious scarecrow. While Dorothy’s red slippers revealed power and protection, the red letter in which Hester Prynne wore upon her chest in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s brilliant novel, The Scarlet Letter, exhibited a power of its own. Hester had the strength of character to bear her public branding, but others had character flaws that served as an even more devastating punishment. While Roger Chillingworth seemed to be an intelligent man, he did not posses the power to use
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Pearl constantly stirred trouble and pain for her mother, especially when it came to Hester’s personal misery, “‘Was ever such a child!’ observed Hester aside to the minister. ‘Oh, I have much to tell thee about her! But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer-’” (165). Pearl made Hester feel even more unbefitting than she already felt when playing with the “A” her mother wore upon her chest. Most of all, Pearl was uncompassionate. She was unable to understand and care when someone was hurt or troubled, even towards those whom she loved. She chose to give in to the temptation of being cruel, to criticize, and to tease, rather than to be kind. This was allegedly due to the fact that all Pearl grew up knowing was that exactly. She was never treated with kindness, nor given the benefit of the doubt, so why would she do so for others? There was simply no reason for her to give others what she was not given herself, so rather she inflicted pain. Unfortunately, Pearl never realized the agony she caused herself by abusing her own power in deteriorating those around …show more content…
Meanwhile, Chillingworth’s ignorance, Pearl’s inability to feel, and Dimmesdale’s cowardice were the sources of their weaknesses. These characters’ lack of virtue caused them to suffer devastating punishments. They have no one other than themselves to blame for their inconveniences. They created their own punishments and their own pain by hiding their absence of morality and self-awareness. Instead of owning their mistakes, they stood upon pedestals, as if they were sinless. Instead of being kind, they were inhumane. Instead of being rational, they were foolish. Hester owned her public branding, while Chillingworth, Pearl, and Dimmesdale avoided it at all costs. Sometimes it’s not the red shoes that hold all the power, sometimes it’s just so happens to be the person wearing
Pearl constantly stirred trouble and pain for her mother, especially when it came to Hester’s personal misery, “‘Was ever such a child!’ observed Hester aside to the minister. ‘Oh, I have much to tell thee about her! But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer-’” (165). Pearl made Hester feel even more unbefitting than she already felt when playing with the “A” her mother wore upon her chest. Most of all, Pearl was uncompassionate. She was unable to understand and care when someone was hurt or troubled, even towards those whom she loved. She chose to give in to the temptation of being cruel, to criticize, and to tease, rather than to be kind. This was allegedly due to the fact that all Pearl grew up knowing was that exactly. She was never treated with kindness, nor given the benefit of the doubt, so why would she do so for others? There was simply no reason for her to give others what she was not given herself, so rather she inflicted pain. Unfortunately, Pearl never realized the agony she caused herself by abusing her own power in deteriorating those around …show more content…
Meanwhile, Chillingworth’s ignorance, Pearl’s inability to feel, and Dimmesdale’s cowardice were the sources of their weaknesses. These characters’ lack of virtue caused them to suffer devastating punishments. They have no one other than themselves to blame for their inconveniences. They created their own punishments and their own pain by hiding their absence of morality and self-awareness. Instead of owning their mistakes, they stood upon pedestals, as if they were sinless. Instead of being kind, they were inhumane. Instead of being rational, they were foolish. Hester owned her public branding, while Chillingworth, Pearl, and Dimmesdale avoided it at all costs. Sometimes it’s not the red shoes that hold all the power, sometimes it’s just so happens to be the person wearing