The Conflicting Meanings of Marriage in The Scarlet Letter On a frigid December morning, I awoke from the night drenched in sweat, screaming inside. I told myself it was just a dream, but I knew it was my harsh reality. I was living the perfect life, or so it seemed, an extravagant house, a new car, and a husband with enough money to buy me any luxury I desired. I was trapped, I was a good Christian woman who had everything but happiness, and my marriage was not simply a handbag I could return…
and actions, but also pushes the misperceptions held by their society towards these two characters. This contrast further proves that people are often misjudged by appearance or a singular action/first impression. Through the symbol of the Scarlet Letter, Hester is shown as a confident and powerful character who stands out, but through the eyes of her society she is seen as sinful and disrespectful character who is easy to pity and judge. Hester’s A is described as “...artistically done, and…
Owning up to the truth is a difficult task that most people struggle to do. It is often easier for humans to hide their wrongdoings from their peers, rather than being truthful. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, both main characters, Dimmesdale and Hester commit an act that is regarded by their peers, the Puritans, as a sin. The Puritans were a Protestant religious group that sailed to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in order to practice their religion in peace. They had strict moral and…
Essentially, the quote means “On a black field, the letter A in red”. The symbolism in this quote is that even though Hester has gone to her grave, the guilt of the sin she committed will be with her forever. My overall feeling on the novel is that I thought it fascinating how the one forbidden act of passion…
Literary Criticism of Hester Prynne as Repressed Artist in the Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne is a great woman artist who is repressed. She has a burden of shame displayed proudly on her chest. The scarlet letter shows more than the sin. It shows the isolation and disdain on a person. Hester is a being of great value in intellect and beauty being repressed by her own community. Nathanial Hawthorne brings in tragedy of a woman. It’s about the important life of this particular character and the…
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel persistently brings to light the idea of one forgiving themselves of their looming sins, and also using their good works to help lighten the load created by said sin. Conversely, religion, specifically Christianity, states that sinful humans must obtain their redemption from the only thing capable of offering true redemption, which…
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter portrays a profoundly psychologically encompassing tale of heartache and struggle in a Puritan society during the mid-nineteenth century. The characters in the novel exhibit an array of emotional and physical responses caused by the guilt, the public and self-condemnation, and the retribution of their sins. The adulterous act committed by Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale became the catalyst for the resulting grief felt by all in the small…
Throughout time people are observed becoming offended by the same types of images, for the same reasons. Although societal convention and practices might change throughout time and between locations, there are clear trends in what the populous finds to be offensive. Madame X was a painting by John Singer painted in 1884. This painting features and attractive woman in a long, sultry, dress. She is posed looking away, but also stepping forward. This portrait was considered one of the most…
J.D Salinger uses color within the book Catcher in the Rye to help him establish and bring out themes appropriately. Color is a good symbolic element in books because characters often go through many physical and emotional changes that color helps represent. In the entirety of the book, Holden is symbolized by many different colors because of his actions and emotions. J.D Salinger used the colors red, green, blue and yellow throughout the book to symbolize different events that took place. For…
In the novel , The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the symbol of the letter “A” changes due to feminist ideas from adultery, to able, to angel, and finally to the independence of her daughter. Body 1 Hester was forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her chest to show that she had committed adultery. The scarlet letter is a sign of her sin, so that everyone is able to see and judge her for what she did. Women in this town were expected to follow strict rules and be very religious.…