Harvest of Shame

Hester Prynne after committing the sin of adulteress, she is imprisoned, humiliated and have to bear the punishment of shame on her life. Hawthorne also portrays the brutal punishment for the sinners as in a lazy servant or undutiful children given to the authority to deal with were whipped, showing the lawbreaker on the scaffold to the public as well as branding the forehead…

paradoxical characters. It brought Hester’s sinful actions to justice by changing the way she saw adultery. The outcome of the public-imposed punishment and self-imposed punishment worked hand in hand to make her think twice about committing adultery. “Shame Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers,--stern and wild ones,-- and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.” (Hawthorne, 180) The punishment that Hester endured, taught her many things. She learned not to commit…

The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter revolves around the meaning of Hester Prynne’s punishment for her sin of adultery in a Puritan society, which was to wear the scarlet letter. In the first chapter of The Scarlet Letter, the reader is introduced to Hester Prynne and her daughter Pearl. Pearl is the product of Hester’s sin of adultery. The father of Hester’s child is the well-known and extremely loved priest of their town, Arthur Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale refused…

Public Humiliation Public humiliation was a acceptance with the Puritans, and how they treated people who sinned. Nathaniel Hawthorne made Hester Prynne the main character the one who committed the biggest sin of all. Adultery, and she wore A on her chest that only changed her appearance. ‘’Concerns Raised on ‘’Scarlet Letter’’ for Drunk Drivers”. By Toni Locy thinks its ok to put a letter on the driver's licence of people that drink and drive. The Scarlet Letter does not serve as a…

The Scarlet Letter Research Simulation Task Public Shame Why should an individual be discomforted for making a mistake? Should an individual be embarrassed on the spot for making a mistake or doing something that is considered “wrong” in society? Why should public shaming exist in society today if it has a negative impact on the individual and the community? Public shaming is a very strong form of punishment and is not disciplined in any way. This type of action humiliates a young person…

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, sin and repentance are recurring topics, depicted in the novel’s three main characters. Each can be accused of immorality, and each suffers differently as a result of their offenses, however, only one individual clearly repents of his sins. Throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the theme of sin and repentance is apparent in the characters of Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale. During the entirety of the novel,…

Moreover, another characteristic of romanticism that connects to the three stories “The Scarlet Letter”, “The Minister’s Black Veil”, and “The Devil and Tom Walker” is individualism. Individualism is shown throughout these stories in different ways. In the story “The Scarlet Letter”, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows individuality in Hester. He showed Hester’s individualism by making her the only one to wear the scarlet letter “A” and also making her different from everyone else. Even though the letter…

Symbolism has been in human history since the very beginning, especially in books and poems. It is a way to teach and reach a better understanding of our world or an idea. Nathaniel Hawthorne provides many examples of symbolism in his novel, The Scarlet Letter. Every character provides a different idea, but they are all related and share the topic of sin. You might ask what the scarlet letter, the central symbol of the book, could mean. The Scarlet Letter was a symbol that right after you see it…

gold thread” showcasing her sins (41). The over zealous townsfolk see her as a sacrilegious woman. For years she attempts to redeem herself by performing good deed after good deed. Soon society does not seem so far away. Starting off as a symbol of shame and punishment, the scarlet letter later serves as a token…

should have. In order to control her image she mustn't take the letter off. Taking the letter off will prove she is weak and that societies thoughts define her. The letter represents society in the sense that its meant to provide embarrassment and shame which is how society sees her. Hester has the ability to change the letters meaning through her own actions and intentions.…