The past is an unchangeable occurrence that plays a major role in the development of human character. It involves triumphant memories and mistakes that completely alter self-portrayal and societal reputation. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, the past ignominious love affair between Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale shapes not only Hester's character and lifestyle, but also those close to her to suggest that the past contains positivity, should be accepted openly, and should be taken as a learning experience.
Hester Prynne was publicly punished for her past mistake by being forced to wear a red "A" that symbolized her adulterous sin. The other citizens looked at the marking scornfully, making her a social outcast and the victim of constant judgment. The letter had the purpose of making Hester feel regret and shame. However, Hester accepted her punishment with pride, even embellishing the "A" with gold. The narrator comments in the last chapter of the book, “…the scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma which attracted the world’s scorn and bitterness, and became a type of something to be sorrowed over, and looked upon with awe, yet with …show more content…
Pearl serves as a reminder to Hester of her previous state of sin. To explain that Pearl is a positive outcome as well as a reminder of a shameful act, Hester says, “She is my happiness!—she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!” (Hawthorne 118). Pearl's existence forces Hester to acknowledge her sin and work to come out of her shame. She is proof that accepting the past allows people to see the positive window of potential improvement. Hester, in a world of solitude, only has her daughter by her side. Because her daughter is the "pearl" of her life, Hester only wants the best for her. She strives to succeed so that Pearl will have a good life and a pleasant
Hester Prynne was publicly punished for her past mistake by being forced to wear a red "A" that symbolized her adulterous sin. The other citizens looked at the marking scornfully, making her a social outcast and the victim of constant judgment. The letter had the purpose of making Hester feel regret and shame. However, Hester accepted her punishment with pride, even embellishing the "A" with gold. The narrator comments in the last chapter of the book, “…the scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma which attracted the world’s scorn and bitterness, and became a type of something to be sorrowed over, and looked upon with awe, yet with …show more content…
Pearl serves as a reminder to Hester of her previous state of sin. To explain that Pearl is a positive outcome as well as a reminder of a shameful act, Hester says, “She is my happiness!—she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!” (Hawthorne 118). Pearl's existence forces Hester to acknowledge her sin and work to come out of her shame. She is proof that accepting the past allows people to see the positive window of potential improvement. Hester, in a world of solitude, only has her daughter by her side. Because her daughter is the "pearl" of her life, Hester only wants the best for her. She strives to succeed so that Pearl will have a good life and a pleasant