Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
Is Hester Prynne the best citizen of Boston? I believe she is one of the best citizens of Boston if not the best citizen. In the novel of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester gives back to the community by donating the extra money that she earns from sewing articles of clothing. She is looked upon for advice when she returns from Europe. She has been given the scarlet letter as a punishment, but this also keeps her from misbehaving. I believe, even though Hester has made mistakes, she is still the best citizen of Boston. Therefore, the first reason to why I believe Hester is the best citizen of Boston is she gives back to her community by donating the extra money that she makes by being a seamstress. She graciously donates her …show more content…
Hester, after she returned from Europe, was greatly looked upon for advice because all that she had been through. People would come up to her with great problems and ask her advice because she had been in that situation before. It was stated in the novel that, “And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and perplexities, and besought her counsel as one who had herself gone through a mighty trouble.” (239) This shows that even though Hester wasn’t living in any type of luxury since her return from Europe, people still brought their problems to her. They brought their problems to her because they knew that she had experience with these problems and she knew what advice to give to them. Similarly, Hester is also kept in check by Pearl. An example of this is, “But here – if we supposed this interview betwixt mistress Hibbins and Hester Prynne to be authentic, and not a parable – was already an illustration of the young minister’s against the sundering the relation of the fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty. Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan’s snare.” (108) Pearl kept her from misbehaving because if she would happen to misbehave, though she never did, Pearl would be taken from
Hester Prynne Shame Quotes
1140 Words | 5 PagesHester’s undeniable ability to overcome hardships is what keeps her stable throughout the events dramatized within the novel. When the author mentions, "[t]hey said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength," he is allowing the reader to recognize Hester's ability to care for others while ,on the other hand, no one cares for her (Hawthorne 124). Her true ability to conquer troubles without any additional help made the people reconsider their views on Hester. She is belittled and neglected by the Puritan people, but her strength allows her to carry on. With her courage, Hester Prynne learns to accept that her sins are part of her.
Scarlet Letter Greed Quotes
825 Words | 4 PagesNot only could Hester not work to her full ability, she also was shamed by the public. While she was to stand on the scaffolding, the townswomen would whisper about Hester. “There was, moreover, a boldness and rotundity of speech among these matrons, as most of them seemed to be” (Hawthorn pg. 35 ) Hester faced judgment from the townspeople no matter how hard she worked to achieve a better life. As time passed their shaming went down, but she was never able to have a normal place in their society, because everyone's first impression of her would the the red letter of her
Hester Prynne Is The Worst Sinner In The Scarlet Letter
601 Words | 3 PagesHester Prynne, the Worst Sinner Three different people, all with different stories but all have something in common; they’re all sinners but the question is who is the biggest sinner? In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many characters are portrayed as sinners like Dimmesdale, Hester, and Chillingworth. But overall the biggest sinner in the story was Hester Prynne and there are many reasons for it. Obviously the reason for the scarlet letter, she was an adulteress. Hester caused many problems with people in the town including the most holy man Dimmesdale and a man that should've never been involved, Chillingworth.
Movie Essay: The Scarlet Letter Vs. Easy A
634 Words | 3 PagesOn the other hand Hester doesn’t want or try getting attention through her actions. Also she becomes an outcast of the Puritan community and she slowly finds her way back through hard work and showing she cares. Secondly the way the two characters
Hester Prynne Symbolism In Scarlet Letter
665 Words | 3 PagesShe is a beautiful, young woman who has sinned, but is forgiven. Hawthorne portrays Hester as "divine maternity" and she can do no wrong. Not only Hester, but also the physical scarlet letter, a sign of shame, is shown as a beautiful, gold and colorful piece which
Scarlet Letter Argumentative Essay
445 Words | 2 PagesEnough evidence was given in the book that Hester deserves the punishment. To prove that she does, Hester was raised as a Puritan so she knew what would be the consequences she has committed adultery and is left with a baby alone to raise without a father role model. As well she is not suited to be a mother. She can’t keep Pearl.
Examples Of Guilt In The Crucible
1980 Words | 8 PagesYet, despite the heavy burden she has to bear, she acts more civil than most of the characters do in the entirety of “The Scarlet Letter”. Instead of her guilt and shame tearing her down, she chose to rise above it as seen in this quote; “she [Hester] repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, stepped into the open air, as if by her own free will.” (50 Hawthorne) No doubt at this time, Hester’s heart is filled with pain and worry. After all, these were people she has known for some time and perhaps has even befriended.
How Hester Prynne Changes In Scarlet Letter
941 Words | 4 PagesHer defiance becomes stronger and will carry her through different hardships. Her determination and lonely stand repeats again when she confronts Governor Bellingham over the issue of Pearl’s guardianship. When Bellingham wants to take Pearl away from Hester, Hester reply’s with, “God gave me the child! I will die first!”(Ch.). When also pressured even more for the child’s care, Hester pleads, “God gave her into my keeping.
Hester Prynne Punishment In Scarlet Letter
791 Words | 4 PagesAlthough the community originally knew Hester as a disgrace, the town’s opinion of her changed over time as she began to do work for the poor and needy. After this shift in the town’s view of Hester, “many people refused to interpret the scarlet [letter] by its original signification” (111). Instead of Hester’s scarlet letter serving as a reminder of her scandalous sin, her peers “ had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as a token . . . of [Hester’s] many good deeds” (111). She became known for her charity and generosity, which caused the civilians to overlook her sinful behavior.
Scarlet Letter Patriarchy Quotes
566 Words | 3 PagesHester however is reluctant, and does not give in to the orders of the men, which proves that she is against patriarchy. Mr. Dimmesdale even comments about her strong will: "Wonderous strength and generosity of a woman's heart! She will not speak!" (Hawthorne, 51) Hester however shows a patriarchal ideal that is most common in patriarchies: The idea that the woman is the caretaker of the child. Although Hester is the only one looking after Pearl, she still has the heart of a mother, and looks after Pearl like a mother would. "
The American Spirit In The Scarlet Letter
592 Words | 3 PagesShe is relatable, extremely human, and most of all, flawed. Her life is plain and average, and her personality is the exact opposite of flashy. Though she cannot represent every single struggle that Americans must deal with, her very situation is not as important as the ways in which she chooses to handle it. Hester Prynne is merely a vessel for any American situation; any struggle or hardship could be substituted in for her sin of
Sympathization Of Hester Prynne In 'The Scarlet Letter'
972 Words | 4 PagesHester Prynne is the heroine of “The scarlet Letter”, and it is possible for us to fully sympathize with her because Through reading the text “The Scarlet Letter” we can find out Hester Prynne had a difficult life and had been suffering very much comparing to other characters because she handles her situation by keeping Dimmesdale a secret even under pressure refusing to let them take her daughter Pearl from her and not hiding from the public after her sin of adultery is revealed and she is punished. Though Hester Prynne does faced her situation better than the other characters it is still she who sufferers the most. The another reason which compel the reader to sympathize on Hester Prynne is because she had to under gone the worse consequences of her sin that she must live with her relationships and interactions with Chillingworth and Dimmesdale, and the way she deal with her sin and the results of it.
Hester And Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter
743 Words | 3 PagesSome of the differences between these two characters are also what makes them alike, as well as setting them apart from the rest of the characters in the book. Hester and Dimmesdale’s need to repent and face their punishments in their own ways leads the reader through the book with surprises at every turn. The characters face challenges from holding in a secret, and facing a punishment all relating to the same actions taken before the book begins. Hester, the mother of Pearl ,as well as the main character, was
Hypocrisy Of The Puritan Society In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
936 Words | 4 PagesThroughout the novel, Hester is fraught by the Puritan society and her suffering is an effect of how evil society is. Hester continues to believe that the crime she committed was not wrong and she should not be punished for it. Her desire to protect and love Dimmesdale, turn her into a stronger person and become a heroine in the book. Although society still views her as a “naughty baggage” (Hawthorne 73) and is punished for her wrongdoing, Hester never thought to take revenge on them, yet she gives everything she has to the unfortunate and leaves herself with very little. She continues to stay positive no matter what society has for her.
The Role Of Hester Prynne In The Scarlet Letter
466 Words | 2 PagesHester Prynne is the very embodiment of feminism because of her refusal to adhere to the societal norms, her independence in thought, and how the view of the society around her changes through the novel. One of the main reasons why Hester Prynne is an important and progressive feminist character in The Scarlet Letter is her refusal to follow societal norms or to be put down by her peers. A primary example of her refusal to be put down by her peers is when Hester brandishes her
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