Nathaniel Ayers

human beings” (Feminism 101). The privileges women receive today are unlike the limited ones afforded to them in the Puritan society. Women were not viewed as strong, independent characters because that image was usually associated with men. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the main heroine, Hester, is an exception to the viewpoint of women being incompetent. Although the book is not entirely centered on women’s rights, The Scarlet Letter shows Hester as a courageous woman, and that…

problem to another human if it cannot be controlled. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “The Birthmark” illustrates a Man versus Nature theme as mans desire to fix what Mother Nature created leads him on a quest towards perfection. Humans are imperfect beings; therefore, they cannot be perfect despite their attempts through science. Furthermore, if one reaches perfection then they are no longer considered human. Thesis Statement: In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “The Birthmark,” the main…

of the time valued the intention of an action above the result of an action. The pieces of literature found in the Romanticism period show that the people of the time valued intention over action. The story of Young Goodman Brown, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, demonstrate such an attitude. Young Goodman Brown follows the adventure of the titular character, Goodman Brown, and he and his companion travel into dreary woods and discover the truth of the humble town the man lives in. However,…

Hester could be seen as a hero, a 17th century feminist role model for all of the girls in the Puritan community despite the sins that she has committed. Hester, while flawed, truly is a heroic character that represents feminism in many ways in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Hester is clearly a hero but she has many strengths and weaknesses as well as no one can be completely perfect in one way or another. Hester is a strong beautiful empowered woman which we see throughout the…

The truth is inevitable and it will always eventually reveal itself. Honesty is a powerful thing that can make relationships or destroy them. Some people think that liars, cheaters, and stealers could get away with a crime, but they always get what they deserve in the end. Strength through honesty and the truth is viable and important because the truth will always present itself. Telling the truth will get you into less trouble and continuing to hide the truth usually makes things worse.…

“Everything in life can teach you a lesson, you just have to be willing to observe and learn” is a familiar phrase that can apply to nearly anything (Unknown). It can often apply to literature, especially American literature. Putting the quote into relation with American literature, there is lesson in every story written and read but the only way to find it is to be open to discover and understand. Often at times, the lesson is not openly written, so the reader would have to use the actions and…

Utilization of Literary Elements in The Scarlet Letter Puritan lifestyles were based off of strict religious ruling, and anything that defied their beliefs and God was seen as a threat. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, a female archetype named Hester has committed the act of adultery. Hester has a child out of wedlock, and refuses to give out the father’s name. For her committed sins Hester is put through the humiliating process of displaying an embroidered ‘A’ standing for…

An ‘Outsider’ is someone who lives on the fringes of society because they variate from the social norms and standards that society conforms to. They do not agree with society 's morals, values, standards, rules, customs or behaviour and as a result they are met with contempt and condemnation, which can gravely injure one’s reputation or social standing. Both The Scarlet Letter and Far from Heaven show this prejudice and treatment of the ‘outsider’. The Scarlet Letter is set in the 1600’s Puritan…

it is what "denotes the spatial and temporal location of a story" (Lynch, XIV). The setting of a story often refers to "more than the physical or geographical location where the events take place" (Lynch, XV). Specifically within The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses symbolism, allegory, and imagery, to prove the setting is crucial for the reader to fully understand the themes of perfection, control, and natural versus material within the story. We can see this analysed through the three…

never to be heard from again and deceit clings to every word that drips from their smiling lips. However, these private transgressions are something more than just keeping things hush-hush. This is the fear of allowing the truth to set you free. Nathaniel Hawthorne discerned this verity in his book The Scarlet Letter, noting man 's want to be seen as upright yet, holding sin within his being. In the passages of The Scarlet Letter, a woman called Hester and…