The Right to Judge
In the book, “A Scarlet Letter”, it seems that many people were quick to judge Hester for the things they thought she did. Whether what the people thought about her were true or not, they quickly made up their minds about who they thought she was. During the time period of this book, adultery was one of the most shameful crimes that could have been committed. The town’s perception of Hester after her adultery makes it hard for her to live a life of normalcy.
One of the biggest reasons it was especially hard for Hester live down what she had done was because the man that also committed this sin with her, Arthur Dimmesdale, refused to admit his involvement. Hester had to go through all of shame by herself while he got to …show more content…
She seemed to believe that death would have been a better punishment. She did not like the shame the letter brought to her day after day. She knew the people felt that she was no longer a part of their society. “Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished, and as much alone as if she inhabited another sphere…” (Ch. 5). Her life ends up being a sad and shameful time. Her life is never filled with any light, only gloom. She is never released from her shame; not even when she dies.
This book shows the perception of adultery throughout a time period where people felt it was one of the most shameful things that could be committed. In the story, Hester is confronted by a witch and asked “Hist, Hist Wilt thou go with us to-night?...”(Ch.8). This brings some people to believe that she is a witch herself while others believed that the scarlet letter brings evil so Hester must be involved with Satan. Most of the women call her names and mock her which shows that hey firmly dislike what she has …show more content…
In that moment, she feels relief and manages to bring light upon herself: “All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine…”(Ch. 18). However, she does place the letter back upon her bosom when her daughter Pearl refuses to come to her when asked. When she does that, the gloom once again reappears, “As if there were a withering spell in the sad letter, her beauty, the warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her.” (Ch 19.) Dimmesdale finally realizes her torment and decides to confess his involvement with this sin. He reveals part of the secret but does not reveal the rest of his secret. Due to the fear of what the town would do when they found out, he dies of a heart attack. Years later, Hester still wore the scarlet letter and continued to live in her old cottage until her death where she is buried next to Dimmesdale.
The people of the town never let Hester redeem herself for what she had done. This book showed that the people were unforgiving and inconsiderate. They never forgave someone who tried to overcome the wrong she did and never considered the pain they caused her. The story makes us believe that that adultery was an immoral sin. It shows the inability of humans to see or understand the person behind the
In the book, “A Scarlet Letter”, it seems that many people were quick to judge Hester for the things they thought she did. Whether what the people thought about her were true or not, they quickly made up their minds about who they thought she was. During the time period of this book, adultery was one of the most shameful crimes that could have been committed. The town’s perception of Hester after her adultery makes it hard for her to live a life of normalcy.
One of the biggest reasons it was especially hard for Hester live down what she had done was because the man that also committed this sin with her, Arthur Dimmesdale, refused to admit his involvement. Hester had to go through all of shame by herself while he got to …show more content…
She seemed to believe that death would have been a better punishment. She did not like the shame the letter brought to her day after day. She knew the people felt that she was no longer a part of their society. “Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished, and as much alone as if she inhabited another sphere…” (Ch. 5). Her life ends up being a sad and shameful time. Her life is never filled with any light, only gloom. She is never released from her shame; not even when she dies.
This book shows the perception of adultery throughout a time period where people felt it was one of the most shameful things that could be committed. In the story, Hester is confronted by a witch and asked “Hist, Hist Wilt thou go with us to-night?...”(Ch.8). This brings some people to believe that she is a witch herself while others believed that the scarlet letter brings evil so Hester must be involved with Satan. Most of the women call her names and mock her which shows that hey firmly dislike what she has …show more content…
In that moment, she feels relief and manages to bring light upon herself: “All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine…”(Ch. 18). However, she does place the letter back upon her bosom when her daughter Pearl refuses to come to her when asked. When she does that, the gloom once again reappears, “As if there were a withering spell in the sad letter, her beauty, the warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her.” (Ch 19.) Dimmesdale finally realizes her torment and decides to confess his involvement with this sin. He reveals part of the secret but does not reveal the rest of his secret. Due to the fear of what the town would do when they found out, he dies of a heart attack. Years later, Hester still wore the scarlet letter and continued to live in her old cottage until her death where she is buried next to Dimmesdale.
The people of the town never let Hester redeem herself for what she had done. This book showed that the people were unforgiving and inconsiderate. They never forgave someone who tried to overcome the wrong she did and never considered the pain they caused her. The story makes us believe that that adultery was an immoral sin. It shows the inability of humans to see or understand the person behind the