The Scarlet Letter Essay

grow and change in beneficial ways or detrimental ways. The Scarlet Letter is a story about a woman named Hester Prynne who has affairs with another man. From these affairs she has a child and as a result the religious system in her community considers her to be a sinner and is forced to wear a scarlet colored ‘A’ on her chest for punishment, as a way to shame her. Her daughter, Pearl, is often seen as a reflection as the scarlet letter as well through her actions and presence. While in some…

Hawthorne makes it very clear in The Scarlet Letter that he believes the Puritans, while not inherently corrupt, are a morally ambiguous people who don’t know how to run a fair government or justice system. They have intertwined religion and law to the degree that their government is a glorified theocracy that enables the Puritans and oppresses all others under the premise of religious superiority. This creates an unhealthily violent society where “the mildest and severest acts of public…

some modern media is starting to move away from these toxic ideals, much of western media, past and present, defends these values. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a book with a meaning that is, quite honestly, up for interpretation by the reader. However, it cannot be interpreted as a book meant to empower women, or be kind to men.…

¨The Scarlet Letter¨ has a deep theme of morality. Hawthorne himself states that ¨The Scarlet Letter¨ is ¨a tale of human frailty and sorrow,¨ (55). This morality which is found throughout the entire book. Hawthorne makes sure that the reader knows this theme very well by the time the reader finishes this book. This theme of morality can be found in the Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and the important scenes of which they are involved. Hester, the executor of a crime against marriage, has…

sin was a big deal in Puritan beliefs. The Scarlet Letter was written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne and was a classic American novel in the 19th century. The story was set in a Puritan community in Boston, Massachusetts during the 17th century. The story is about a woman who committed adultery and was punished for it while others got away with their sins in the moment, but they caught up to them in the end. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale’s suffering overshadowed all of…

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's book, The Scarlet Letter, one of the most essential ideas by the end of the book is that sin is inevitable to all. Throughout the story the Puritans are constantly enforcing the idea onto the townspeople that sin is bad, but the end of the story proves that sin can turn into something good. Puritans aim to be perfect by “not sinning” which causes them to be further from God because the townspeople do not have the opportunity to repent. But because strict Puritan rules do…

have been jail, the letter "A" on her breast, and possibly her child pearl (the product of her crime) being taken away. Some people might agree or disagree that these punishments are enough or not. Hester's punishment is enough because she feels bad about the crime she has committed, everyone is paying attention to her and pointing fingers. She is also at risk of losing her child. First, Hester's punishment is enough because she feels ashamed that she has to wear the letter "A" on her…

In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a woman named Hester Prynne is viewed as a living representation of her sin. Her talents and personality are overlooked and she is judged solely by her flaws. This is also true for Harleen Quinzel. Though once a successful psychiatrist, her life is suddenly shattered when a wrong turn causes her to go mentally insane. From this point on, she is viewed as a ditzy psychopath and her previous accomplishments are forgotten completely. Harleen attempts…

is a natural part of the human conscience, occurring when individuals realize they have fallen short of moral standards, either in their thoughts or behavior, and experience a strong sense of remorse as a consequence of this violation. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne examines the effect of guilt on the conscience of several characters, providing insight to the psychological affects and self-recrimination. The characters Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth prove…

The Scarlet Letter Analysis Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter focuses on the life of Hester Prynne after she has been found guilty of adultery. Hawthorne uses nature repeatedly in his novel, as well as subtly point out problems within the modern day world, to communicate to the audience how human beings are not bred to be perfect, as temptation overwhelms everyone at some point, and to some degree. Hawthorne tells the story of a broken utopia and the impacts such a narrow field of…