Sin came into existence soon after the creation of the world. The first humans, Adam and Eve, fell into sin almost immediately. With their tumbling, they were forced to deal with the consequences of their behaviors for their entire lives. The idea that the effects of sin last a lifetime has been an ageless belief carried through many different faiths, including Puritanism. However, the philosophies of the Puritans often failed to match their actions. The hypocrisy of the Puritans allows them to be effective characters for displaying sin. Nathaniel Hawthorne employs a strict seventeenth century Puritan society and the consequences of sin to provoke sickening irony in The Scarlet Letter. The Puritan structure supplies Hawthorne with
…show more content…
Hester is forced to publicly display her sin on the scaffold (Hawthorne 52-53). However, she is able to deal with her sin, unlike Dimmesdale (Moss and Wilson Web). Hester’s obligation to be on the scaffold causes her no shame, as she is more moral than most of the people judging her. Contrastingly, Dimmesdale covers his secret, leaving him with no peace (Ferguson Web). The results of sin’s sorrow are presented as Dimmesdale and Chillingworth speak of how a man can keep a secret inside, allowing it to kill him before he dies (Hawthorne 119). Hester concludes with the most successful recovery of all of the sinning characters. Unfortunately, her sin is still inescapable in the course of her lifetime, but she spends the rest of her life attempting to make up for what she did (Fogle Web). The characters try relentlessly to relieve the stress caused by their internal …show more content…
The Puritans followed strict codes, some of which have been carried into the modern world. Similarly, the presence of sin has yet to be demolished, even centuries later. Furthermore, Hawthorne investigates the dramatic difference between expectation and reality. Sin is inevitable for people of all ages, genders, and religions. Everyone makes mistakes, but doing so allows people to grow and live in ways they never could before. With sin comes consequences, but with consequences comes a newly formed
Hester is forced to publicly display her sin on the scaffold (Hawthorne 52-53). However, she is able to deal with her sin, unlike Dimmesdale (Moss and Wilson Web). Hester’s obligation to be on the scaffold causes her no shame, as she is more moral than most of the people judging her. Contrastingly, Dimmesdale covers his secret, leaving him with no peace (Ferguson Web). The results of sin’s sorrow are presented as Dimmesdale and Chillingworth speak of how a man can keep a secret inside, allowing it to kill him before he dies (Hawthorne 119). Hester concludes with the most successful recovery of all of the sinning characters. Unfortunately, her sin is still inescapable in the course of her lifetime, but she spends the rest of her life attempting to make up for what she did (Fogle Web). The characters try relentlessly to relieve the stress caused by their internal …show more content…
The Puritans followed strict codes, some of which have been carried into the modern world. Similarly, the presence of sin has yet to be demolished, even centuries later. Furthermore, Hawthorne investigates the dramatic difference between expectation and reality. Sin is inevitable for people of all ages, genders, and religions. Everyone makes mistakes, but doing so allows people to grow and live in ways they never could before. With sin comes consequences, but with consequences comes a newly formed