One belief that people live by is that evil is the nature of mankind, yet there are others that feel man has good intentions but those intentions can be overrun by the devil. Nathaniel Hawthorne points out that the former is true of all people in the novel The Scarlet Letter. In this novel, there are three main characters who commit evil and sinful acts, but each act is at a different degree of sinfulness. For example the sins get worse as the story goes on. .
These three sinners, in the eyes of the puritan community are the beautiful Hester Prynne, the esteemed Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and the cold-hearted doctor, Roger Chillingworth. Like Hawthorne, I believe that evil is the nature of man but that there are different magnitudes of evil; some choose to fight it, like Hester, and some choose to give in, like Chillingworth. .
In the novel, Hester received a scarlet letter, "A," for her sins, which she had to wear upon her chest for the rest of her life in Boston. This was the Puritan way of punishing her for her criminal action of adultery. She wondered the streets to be given sour looks from all. This caused so much mental and physical anguish that she eventually questioned why she should live if it weren't for her Pearl. Pearl was a bundle of life sent from God to remind her of her wrong doing each and every moment and as a walking sermon to preach against sin for others.
Hester Prynne, a strong willed and brave woman, in respect to the two additional people, has committed the least amount of sin in the novel. In the eyes of the Puritan community, though, she has committed one of the worst possible sins that can be imagined: adultery. They feel she is horrendously corrupt, yet it is not truly her fault.
Hester is the victim of her husband, Roger Chillingworth's stupidity by sending her to New England by herself, while he remained in Europe. Chillingworth even admitted that it was his fault when he said, "It was my folly, and thy weakness"(15).
When Hester first fashions the scarlet letter has a meaning of adulterer. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""... The Scarlet Letter. ... "The Scarlet Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne 1850."" ...
When Hester first fashions the scarlet letter has a meaning of adulterer. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""... Then Hester notices the scarlet letter lying on the bank of the stream. ... The themes in The Scarlet Letter still have relevance to today's life....
In the book, "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a character who is so loving, passionate, and mistreated that the reader cannot help but feel badly for her. ... She is reminded of her sin every day with her child, Pearl, and the scarlet letter. ... Throughout the story of "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne tips off the reader that Hester Prynne is destined for a downfall because her character is written a classic tragic heroine. ... It is evident that "Hester's story will not and cannot end happily" (Guy-A Critical Review of The Scarlet Letter-Website), because her tragedy is ...
Scarlet Letter's Use Of Symbolism To Show Psychological Effects Of Sin "The act gross and brief, and brings loathing after it." ... She wears her scarlet letter among the solemnly dressed Puritans as this rosebush wears its scarlet blossoms amidst a small plot of grass and weeds. ... Hester has already been discovered and is receiving her punishment by wearing the scarlet letter branding her as an adulteress and keeping her socially isolated. ... In a moment of joy, Hester removes the scarlet letter and tosses it away from herself. ... We later see this is true as she lives...
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne embeds a variety of signs and symbols in the letter "A." The letter "A" has many positive and negative effects on Hester Prynne, the wearer of the scarlet letter. ... Pearl is the "the animate letter, the child dressed in gold-embroidered scarlet" and "the scarlet letter in another form, the scarlet letter endowed with life.... Pearl's attire of the same deep, scarlet color and its same stitching, very much alike Hester Prynne's own scarlet letter on her chest was another representation of the scarlet le...
Hawthorne also uses many literary elements in The Scarlet Letter, such as symbolism and irony. The Scarlet Letter, pearl, and sunshine are examples of symbolism. ... A final example of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is the behavior of the sunshine. ... In addition, Hawthorne uses irony a great deal in The Scarlet Letter. ... The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a story about sin and punishment. ...
The Scarlet Letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, he uses many symbols that tie into the character's lives. Hester has the scarlet letter as punishment of her sin. ... The scarlet letter becomes something known to Pearl. ... She becomes the living version of the scarlet letter. ... The scarlet letter has its two meanings for Hester. ...
A Dissection of the Various Insignias Present within Masterpieces of the Written Word and Film The Scarlet Letter, The Scarlet Letter (movie version), and Chocolat all contain a conspicuous amount of symbolism that is peppered throughout these works. ... The Scarlet Letter, being the inspiration for many of these later cinematic works, offers the most amount of symbolism. The Scarlet Letter offers four distinct symbols: the scarlet letter, the meteor, Pearl, and the rosebush next to the prison door. The scarlet letter is definitely the most pronounced symbol within this novel. ... The cin...
THEME The Scarlet Letter centers round the consequences of sin, especially shame and guilt. ... She also tells her mother that someday she will have her own scarlet letter. ... To Pearl, the scarlet letter is simply part of her mother. ... The significance of the scarlet letter in the life of Dimmesdale, whose guilt remains hidden, is suggested by a hidden scarlet letter on his heart. ... She still wears the scarlet letter, even though it is not expected. ...
The Scarlet Letter Part two: Formal Literary Response 1.a. Identify and describe both the time and place of The Scarlet Letter. ... In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Hester, the main character has to live with a scarlet letter on her bosom, which lets others know about her sin. ... Identify a major theme of The Scarlet Letter. ... Discuss how you feel about the novel, The Scarlet Letter. ...