Overcoming Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathienal Hawthorne
Have you ever been extremely publicly shamed before? Hester Prynne has. In The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathienal Hawthorne, Hester Prynne was shamed and harassed by the Puritan townspeople for committing adultery. The Puritan townspeople lived in a Puritan community, in which they had unrealistic standards for their people. Hester Prynne did not meet one of their standards so she was publicly shamed and this creates barrier for her in her everyday life. Hawthorne illustrates that you can always overcome the worst obstacles in your life by showing how Hester overcomes struggling with not being accepted in Puritan society, wearing the shameful letter A, and Pearl being born and a reminder of her sin.
Hester struggles with being accepted
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For example one of the townspeople says,“Let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart”(Hawthorne 38). The townspeople believe that since Hester will always have the letter A pinned to her chest, it will lead to shame. But they also believe that it is Hester’s inner personal knowledge of her wrongdoing, that will lead to guilt. Hester will use her guilt of her sin to teach Pearl a lesson. Hawthorne writes, “I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this!” answered Hester Prynne, laying her finger on the red token…This badge hath taught me-it daily teaches me,- it is teaching me at this moment,-lessons whereof my child may be the wiser and better, albeit they can profit nothing to myself”(Hawthorne 76). Hester believes that having the scarlet letter enables her to teach and show Pearl that your wrongdoings have bad consequences. The letter A also reminds Hester of her sin and what she has gone through because of it. In conclusion, Hester will eventually use the meaning of the letter A as a lesson to Pearl instead of wearing it as a badge of
Hester Prynne Isolation Quotes
1113 Words | 5 PagesIn the beginning of the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne introduces the main character Hester Prynne, a young, beautiful member of a Puritan society being punished for her sin of love, not lust. The opening chapters introduce the reader to gossips who deem her original punishment, death, too harsh and contrary to Puritan beliefs that unborn babies should be given a chance at life. Instead, Hester and her child are to be alienated and shunned. In addition she is to wear the letter ‘A’ (which stands for ‘adultery’) on her chest which will forever display her as a symbol of shame for her sin. Though a very resilient figure who soon overcomes this pain, Hester’s isolation takes a negative toll on her life.
Blindness In The Scarlet Letter
1270 Words | 6 PagesWhen Pearl looks at her mother’s reflection in a convex mirror, she claims to exclusively see the A: “the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. In truth, she seemed absolutely hidden behind it” (95). Hawthorne clearly illustrates how Pearl and the public choose to see Hester merely as her sin. Even numerous years later, Hawthorne suggest that the townspeople still cannot view Hester
Scarlet Letter Brook Quotes
524 Words | 3 PagesHester dismisses the notion. Hester explains, “It lies not in the pleasure of the magistrates to take off this badge… Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature,”(Hawthorne 176). Pearl, who signifies Hester's inner voice, is playing in the brook while her mother accepts the scarlet letter. Towards the end of chapter nineteen after Hester removes her scarlet letter by throwing it by the edge of
What Does Pearl A Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter
452 Words | 2 PagesSince Pearl serves as that constant reminder and she loves her so much, it acts as a way to help show Hester, and readers of the book, that while they may have sinned, they can still love themselves and see the best in the sin that was committed. What's done is done and nothing can change that and that should be
Comparing Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter 'And David Brooks' The Shame Culture
585 Words | 3 PagesIn the beginning of the book when Hester is recieving her punishment for her adulterous relationship, Hawthorne. Describes the situation by saying, “there can be no outrage, methinks, against our common nature-whatever be the delinquencies of the individual- no outrage more flagrant than to forbid the culprit to hide his face for shame; as it was the essence of this punishment to do” (Hawthorne 53-54). This portrayal of Hester’s punishment shows how shameful it was made out to be for her. She is forced own up to her sin and take the shame publicly upon the scaffold. And much like in Brooks’ The Shame Culture this begins to shape behavior.
Scarlet Letter Guilt Quotes
642 Words | 3 PagesIn the novel, Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the Scarlet Letter, Pearl, and Dimmesdale to contribute to the overall theme of guilt. To begin, Hawthorne uses the Scarlet Letter to contribute to the theme of guilt. The Scarlet Letter “A” is a symbol that Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the story, has to wear as punishment for committing adultery. Hawthorne explains, “It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself” (Hawthorne 51).
Essay About The Mistakes Hester Prynne Ever Made
599 Words | 3 PagesIn the beginning the scarlet letter represented adultery and shame, but then the A represented “able.” Hester Prynne showed people that greatness can come out of huge mistake. One bad chapter does not mean your story is over. Willingly, Hester wanted to pick herself up again and move on with her life and eventually people noticed that. They began to respect her and think of her as strong and commendable
Scarlet Letter Figurative Sympathy
245 Words | 1 PagesThe ability for a person to transcend from stereotypes and labels comes from the support from others. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne a respected woman and seamstress hiding in the shadows of society, is soon throw in the spot light when she is publically convicted as an adulterer. This crime comes with a loaded punishment; she is sentenced to a life of shame where she must a wear a scarlet “A” on her chest, in order to publically humiliate her and provide an example of what not to grow up to be. The story begins by introducing Hester and her beloved daughter Pearl, and how they cope with the new labels of an adulterer and a daughter of an illegitimate marriage. Overtime, Hester rises above this life of misery she has to deal with, and learns to cope with it by showing pride into who she really is and her ability to withstand this scrutiny of the judgmental peering eyes of society.
Popular Parenting Styles In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
914 Words | 4 Pages(Hawthorne 91). In this puritan society, she would be looked down upon heavily. These happening puts weight on Hesters shoulders to make sure she can parent Pearl in a way to protect her from shame like she had to endure when the town first found out about her committing
Scarlet Letter Guilt Quotes
1464 Words | 6 Pages(Hawthorne, 76). The sin Hester commits is so destructive to her mind, that she thinks the only way she will every be able to live a proper life is if she stays. Hester’s daily abuse from the community will allow her to cleanse her guilty conscience, and redeem herself in the society. Pearl is a continuous reminder of Hester’s guilt, she is the result of her sin. While Pearl grows up Hester is fearful of the child and the darkness she carried with her.
The Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis
1014 Words | 5 PagesHester has to wear a letter A on her chest for her punishment of adultery. In The Scarlet Letter, the meaning and significance of the letter A is altered as the novel goes on. Hester, the townspeople, and Pearl all have views of the letter that change. Through their views of the letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author, reveals what his view on the letter is. Hester’s view of
Hester's Punishment In The Scarlet Letter
640 Words | 3 PagesHester was sentenced to wear the scarlet letter "A" for the rest of her life and Hester was forced to stand on the scaffold, so she could be publicly humiliated for her sin. Hester and Pearl will go through life, being shamed by others. The townspeople want to see Hester suffer. Hester and Pearl are strong enough to receive the looks and the talks that they will be getting from the
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.
Hypocrisy Of The Puritan Society In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
936 Words | 4 PagesThe hypocritical society is blinded by how they should punish Hester that they are not showing kindness to Hester. Hawthorne creates the book to show how an individual spirit must overcome the difficult obstacles in the society cultural
The Symbolism Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
1161 Words | 5 PagesGuilt killed someone at the end of The Scarlet Letter. This novel, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, tells the story of a puritan woman, Hester Prynne, who committed adultery in the 1600s. She bore punishment on the scaffold with her two tokens of sin: the scarlet letter “A” which stood for adultery, and her daughter Pearl. The partner in her adultery is Arthur Dimmesdale, the minister of the puritan town Hester lives in, and the father of their daughter Pearl. Masterfully, Hawthorne uses a mouth full of symbols throughout the book to teach guilt, the secrets of sin, the coexistence of good and evil, and his anti-transcendentalism ways.
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