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Hypocrisy In The Scarlet Letter

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Addie Hatcliff Mrs. Garrelts Adv. English III 10 October 2022 Society is the Manifestation of Hypocrisy Larry Flynt once wrote, “Hypocrisy is a detriment to progress. There is always a hidden agenda.” This quote deftly explores in which behind any hypocrite, there is always a hidden secret. Hypocrisy harms the advancement and progression of one. They appear differently than what they truly are inside. The occurrence of societal hypocrisy has a negative impact on society and shows that there is always a hidden secret. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne clearly exemplifies the hypocrisy of the Puritan society. Hester Prynne is punished to wear the scarlet letter “A” on her chest for committing adultery. Adultery is an immense sin to the Puritan society. Hester is publicly shamed while there are other Puritans who have possibly committed a similar sin as she had. These hypocrites hide their sin while acting their part as a …show more content…

The Puritans focus strictly on religious enlightenment and commend forgiveness and toleration. However, the author states, “The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison” (Hawthorne 42). The first building that they built was a prison. This does not follow the belief of forgiving others. Prison is a form of punishment, so sending an individual to prison does not demonstrate the practice of forgiveness. This clearly exemplifies societal hypocrisy because the Puritans do not practice and follow through with their beliefs. In addition, Hetser has to suffer in alienation as they are not tolerant of her sin. Instead of forgiving her, they punish her. They embroider the scarlet letter on her chest and publicly humiliate

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