Scarlet Letter Essays

Scarlet Letter Theme Essay
Every great story has at least one theme, a central idea that the story's events make the reader think
about deeply. These themes are like the foundation of the story, giving the reader some solid ground
to stand on as the tale unfolds. While some stories may contain many themes, they all need at least
one to give them a purpose and direction. Several themes appear in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The
Scarlet Letter, including those of consequences for sin, sympathy, and the nature of evil, and as a
result, the book takes on greater meaning because it encourages readers to study and interpret those
themes.
The most apparent and recurring theme in The Scarlet Letter is that sin and consequences are
unavoidably connected,...show more content...
The judge is not the only person to show sympathy for Hester; her husband, despite his plot for
revenge, is also merciful when he learns about her disloyalty. Instead of having Hester severely
punished, he takes pity on her and gives her child medicine to help it heal (Hawthorne). This act of
sympathy is one of the most touching examples in the novel because Hester's husband chooses to
pity her even though he has the legal right to punish Hester and could just let her baby die out of
hatred or jealousy. The most important example of sympathy in the novel is the sympathy Hester
does not receive from the townspeople who shun her because of her sin. It is this lack of
sympathy that causes Dimmesdale's internal torment and eventual death as well as Hester's removal
from society and the poverty that follows. Both in its presence and its absence, the theme of
sympathy is a crucial part of The Scarlet Letter.
Throughout Hawthorne's novel, the idea that evil is part of human nature is investigated in order to
discover what it is that causes evil and why it exists. A conversation about Hester Prynne's sin
between a townsman and a disguised Chillingworth reveals the idea that evil is part of human nature.
The townsman tells Chillingworth about how Hester was sent to Boston by her husband and "left to
her own misguidance," and Chillingworth instantly knows exactly
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Scarlet Letter Character Analysis Essay
In The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the story revolves around the lives and the
events of the following characters: Hester Prynne, who is the mother of an illegitimate child with the
Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and is now being outcasted by her Puritan community because of it;
the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale who is the charming minister of 17th century Boston, the father of
an illegitimate child and has not had his sin revealed; then there's Roger Chillingworth who is the
estranged husband of Hester Prynne who has given up a life–long pursuit of knowledge in exchange
for one of revenge and evil. All of these main characters are important to the story of the scarlet letter
, but the one who arguably has the most important and...show more content...
Pearl's relevance in the novel could be initially mistaken for nothing more than a side character
and a minor detail, but after reading the entire story it becomes clear just how crucial her role is.
Pearl's existence is the sole reason for this story to even exist, for without her existence, there would
never have been any evidence or reason for Hester Prynne to be outed for adultery by her Boston
Puritan community. As a result, Arthur Dimmesdale would have continued to live out the rest of his
days as the beloved minister without the overwhelming guilt, and Roger Chillingworth would have
most likely continued to pursue knowledge or Hester Prynne. But, Pearl does exist and so does the
story of the scarlet letter, making her the single most important aspect of the

Patriarchy In The Scarlet Letter Essay
The Scarlet Letter
Throughout the 19th Century, Feminism was a new revolutionary theory. During this time, many
women's right movements were created. Feminism shows equality for women, but it also
highlights the critical factors of being a female. It is much more than trying to prove women are
just as good as men, in the Schmoop Feminist Theory, it states " The focus can be on how women's
bodies are digitally altered....how race or sexuality affects women's lives". This topic has been a
controversial topic in society for ages, and the steps to change sexism are just now beginning to be
implemented in the 1800s. There were many ways people conveyed their feelings towards the
feminist movements. The influence of women's rights was shown throughout all of...show more
content...
The effect of the female rights movement helped writers change the culture through their books and
works. While Hawthorne began writing The Scarlet Letter, "America was in the midst of a growing
feminist movement..." (NPR Article). Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, was
influenced by the movement and creates "one of the very first female important protagonists" by the
name of Hester Prynne. Described as beautiful, brave, independent, etc., Hester Prynne proves that
literary works were being transfigured, and this was very uncommon in the 19th century. Hawthorne
definitely abetted in the revolution of women's roles in literature. The belief of Patriarchy developed
and became embedded itself into Puritan society. This ideology defines thegender roles as 'rigid' ,
and this prevents people from stepping out of the norm to construct their own path. Prynne fell
under both categories when it came to the patriarchy, because she displays traits and attributes that
were composed of of the two parts of society. In the book, the ideology of patriarchy ''would
establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual
happiness.''(Hawthorne

Scarlet Letter Research Paper
The Scarlet Letter Research Paper
A lot of Nathaniel Hawthorne's writings have to do with Puritans and their American past. He had
deep bonds with his ancestors and he used those bonds to create a story that shined a light on their
strengths and weaknesses. The Scarlet Letter portrays this to the fullest extent. The Puritans arrived
in Massachusetts in the 1630s led by John Winthrop, whose death is written in The Scarlet Letter.
They were known for being intolerant of new inventions and changing lifestyles. Hawthorne uses
power–hungry, authoritarian Puritans as the example for a society in general (The Scarlet Letter).
The Scarlet Letter allows him to show the human soul when it is under intense, public pressure.
Hawthorne does an amazing job of intertwining American issues in his stories. His tenacity and
openness has secured his place on the literary platform for many years to come
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in July 1804. He is a descendant of some
of the earliest settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. One of his forefathers was John Hathorne.
Nathaniel added the "W" to Hathorne when began writing. John Hathorne was a judge in the Salem
Witch Trials. Nathaniel Hawthorne was intrigued with his family ties to John, but also perturbed by
it at the same time. His father died of yellow fever in 1808, so he was raised by his mother and
attended the Bowdoin College in Maine. There he met future poet, Henry Wadsworth Long–fellow
and future president, Franklin Pierce. Once he graduated college, he tried writing and produced a
few historical sketches as well as writing an anonymous novel entitled Fanshawe, which told of
accounts of his embarrassing college days. He became an editor and customs surveyor and while
working in that field, he became friends with Ralph Waldo Emersonand Margaret Fuller. His
friendship with them led to him quitting his job and experimented at Brook Farm, which was a
commune designed to promote transcendentalist principles. "Transcendentalism is a philosophy
started in the early 19th century that promotes intuitive, spiritual thinking instead of scientific
thinking based on material things (vocabulary.com)." Afterwards, he married Sophia

Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Essay
Symbols unlock the secrets of a story. Hawthorne, in The Scarlet Letter, uses many symbols to
represent different things. Some symbols represent the same thing. The letter "A" has many
meanings, each character has their own meanings, and even the different parts of nature are
symbols. Also, apart from providing structure for the novel, each scaffold scene conveys something
different. One could say, arguably, that nearly everything in TheScarlet Letter is a symbol for
something else.
In the novel, there are four different versions of the letter "A". The first is presented at the
beginning of the book, where Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" upon her breast. The
second occurrence is during the second scaffold...show more content...
Also, she is a symbol for the Catholic faith. When she is on the scaffold, during the first scaffold
scene, Hawthorne describes her as Divine Maternity (53), another name for the Virgin Mary, who
the Catholics revere. Also, like the Catholics believe, she repents by working all her life to do good
deeds, instead of the Puritan belief that repentance is spontaneous and forever. Another example of
such is the fact that she embroidered her letter "A" to be decorative and fancy, which is a more
Catholic idea. The Catholics decorate their churches, where Puritans feel that such decoration takes
away from God.
Dimmesdale symbolizes a few things as well. He is a symbol of temptation, as shown by the
original sin of Hester and Dimmesdale, and also later in the story when he asks Hester to run off
with him. He tempts her, and she gives in to the temptation in both instances. He is a symbol of
Puritanism, not only because he is the pastor, but also the way he repents. When he confesses and
dies, he goes straight to heaven, because he repented once and for all. That is a representation of
the Puritan belief, that one only needs to repent once, and all is forgiven. Also, one might say that
Dimmesdale is the Black Man, from when Hester says that the letter is a mark from her encounter
with the Black Man (170). While in the forest, Dimmesdale tries to take Hester away, and according
to the townspeople, the Black Man meets

Scarlet Letter Compare And Contrast Essay
Society is a very tricky thing, if someone does something out of the ordinary society labels them
as weird. If someone fixes what they did they are then labeled fake and get bullied or judged.
During The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, and Of Mice and Men, the readers can see how society is
controlling how people live and how we are as an individual. If people make a mistake they aren't
able to fix the problem on their own they have to have society tell them what their punishment is.
In The Crucible, society was telling everyone that if they were different in anyway they were
punished, tortured, and even had death sentences. During the time "The Crucible" if people acted
different or didn't believe in the same things they would be accused of being a witch, or had
something to do with the devil. Everyone had to be in full body dressing and they had to go to
church (even if you didn't believe in Christ). Society was telling people that kids couldn't dance and
have fun like kids these days. Kids were expected to mind like the adults. While reading The Scarlet
Letter, the readers could see the way society was making decisions about how people need to live
their lives and how they need to act. For example...show more content...
The Crucible has taught people that it's okay to be different and believe in different religions and
cultures. The Scarlet Letter has taught people that even if people get married to someone and they
aren't happy ect with that person, it's okay to end the relationship. And even if something hurts the
people around them (emotionally) it's okay if it makes that person happy (to an extent). The book
"Of MIce and Men" taught people that even if someone is different from the normal they have to
work twice as hard to get what they want. Society needs to understand that even if someone is
different they shouldn't be judged for what makes them happy (to an

Scarlet Letter Analysis Essay
Junhee Chung
A.P English Language
August 20, 2015 Novel Analysis Assignment
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Plot and Conflict
The Scarlet Letter is a story involving many symbols. The novel is set in the Massachusetts Bay
Colony in the 1640s, around the time colonization first took its place in America. The protagonist,
known as Hester Prynne is a newcomer to the colony. Hester is a married woman from Europe who
commits adultery in the colony gets arrested. Hester keeps the fathers identity a secret. One of her
punishments for committing adultery is to stand on the scaffold to be criticized. The other main one
is to stitch a scarlet letter on her clothes to publicly identify her as an adulterer. Soon after her child
Pearl...show more content...
She is born out of wedlock in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pearl grows up living in the woods
with only her mother. Pearl is a character who is brutally honest. Her honesty make the adult
characters ponder their actions and thoughts. Pearl is a flat and static character because she remains
constant throughout the story. Her personality does not change, and neither does her characteristics.
Pearl inquires a lot about the relationship between her mother and Reverend Dimmesdale. She is
also a harsh judger. One thing that Pearl does is she fixates on the scarlet letter quite often. Pearl is
very smart as she picks up that Reverend Dimmesdale is her father before anyone else. She asks
what it will change, "Doth he love us?". Pearl's internal conflict, whether she is aware of it or not,
has to do with her being born out of wedlock. She is born an outcast and born a product of sin.
This affects her more than she realizes. Pearl's external conflict is not having a father or someone
else other than her mother loving her. Pearl dislikes Reverend Dimmesdale after realizing that he is
her father because he will not acknowledge them in public. Pearl opens her heart a little more when
he dies on the scaffold after holding their hands together and confessing to the sin. Pearl is a constant
reminder to Hester of her scarlet letter both intentionally and unintentionally. Hester dresses Pearl up
just like her scarlet letter. (257

Scarlet Letter
Written in 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter stood as a very progressive book. With
new ideas about women, main characters' stories intertwined, and a multitude of themes, The Scarlet
Letter remains today as an extremely popular novel about 17th century Boston, Massachusetts. Not
only was the 19th century a time for the abolition of slavery movement, but it was also the
beginning of the first wave of feminism, the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality
of the sexes. Many may believe that because of this introduction to feminism, the novel directly
pertains to the ideology of it. Hester Prynne, protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, shows similar qualities
of a feminist, such as strength and independence. Although these traits are similar to that of feminist,
Hester encompasses a strict form of maternal instinct, which distinguishes her drive for action from
the feminist movement entirely.
The strength portrayed in Hester Prynne, a well–known adulteress in this New World society, has no
direct relationship to feminism as we view it today. Hawthorne's representation of Hester's strength
is simply a personal trait, not an idea used to strive for equality among women. As Hester progresses
through her hardships, the meaning of the scarlet letter embroidered on her bosom shifts from a
negative connotation to a positive one, in fact "many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its
original signification. They said that it meant Abel" (Hawthorne

Scarlet Letter Reflection Essay
"Guilt is to the spirit, what pain is to the body." In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne a
woman, Hester Prynne has committed adultery, as a result of the sin, she has a Child named Pearl.
Hester, despite all the pressure from the townspeople, does not share who the father is. The Father
turns out to be the well respected Reverend Dimmesdale who nobody would expect to sin because of
his good standing and a positive reputation within the community. As he sees Hester and Pearl being
shamed constantly he feels a tremendous amount of guilt alongside his health beginning to
deteriorate. The direct correlation between guilt and physical well–being is prominent in Reverend
Dimmesdale's character development through Hawthorne's use of diction and indirect and direct
characterization. Hawthorne's use of Diction to describe Dimmesdale's guilt emphasizes the
seriousness of his internal situation. Dimmesdale feels an incredible amount of guilt from his sin
with Hester and that feeling is emphasized when looking at Hawthorne's choice of language when
he speaks of Dimmesdale's internal feelings and thoughts. "While thus suffering under bodily
disease, and gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul, and given over to the
machinations of his deadliest enemy." The use of adjectives such as black, gnawed, and tortured
help to accurately explain what the guilt is making Dimmesdale feel and how that guilt is part of his
internal and external decline. When Hawthorne refers to

Essay about The Feminist Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter can easily be seen as an early feminist piece of work. Nathaniel Hawthorne
created a story that exemplifies Hester as a strong female character living with her choices, whether
they were good or bad, and also as the protagonist. He also presents the daughter of Hester, Pearl, as
an intelligent female, especially for her age. He goes on to prove man as imperfect through both the
characters of Dimmesdale and of Chillingworth. With the situation that all the characters face,
Hawthorne establishes the female as the triumphant one, accomplishing something that, during
Nathaniel Hawthorne's time, authors did not attempt.
In the beginning of the book, Hawthorne paints...show more content...
At first Hester, agrees to Chillingworth's terms to keep his real identity a secret. This in return hurt
Dimmesdale, her secret lover. She does not stand up to Chillingworth out of fear of the chain
effect of damage it would cause. Hester says, "I will keep thy secret, as I have his", which in
essence shows her weakness towards a male. Yet, at the end of the book, she recognizes that she
must "do what might be in her power for the rescue of the victim on whom [Chillingworth] had so
evidently set his gripe". She comes to the conclusion that hiding Chillingworth's secret does not help
Dimmesdale like she hopes, but in fact, hurts him further. The fact that she realizes this, though,
displays her to be an devoted and loyal person. These qualities display many things a female, main
character, in those times, did not have much opportunity to play, especially in the role of which
Hester plays it.
Hester with society also proves to be a strongly feministic aspect of The Scarlet Letter. Hester, as a
female sinner, throughout the book, proves not to be a burden on society. Although she is an
outcast, many find it hard to not admire the way she holds herself, especially due to the situation
she is in. The admiration grows as the story continues. At first, the main admiration for Hester is her
skill with the needle. Many of the townspeople regard Hester's work as the latest trend. "Her

The Scarlet Letter Essay
In this novel you will find that the main characters are the prime examples of Love, Hate, Sin, and
Purity. Although adultery is condemned and seen as sin, adultery isn't what Hawthorne focuses on.
Through my analysis of the Scarlet Letter I noticed that there were three different types of love.
The act of hatred plays a vile role throughout the novel. Hawthorne uses Pearl as a blatant symbol of
purity, from her birth till the end of the novel. As you will seeLove, Hate, Sin, and Purity does play
a vital role in this story.
Hester Prynne's love for Roger Chillingworth shall be the first that I will speak on. From the
beginning Hester is placed on the scaffold with daughter Pearl. She is surrounded by the
townspeople, and is...show more content...
Hester's love is quickly revealed in the first scaffold scene at the Marketplace. It is then that Hester
clutches Pearl in a tight grip, looking at the townspeople and probably thinking, that Pearl was hers,
and that no one was going to harm her. Hester also shows her love for Pearl by dressing her in the
beautiful garments that she would wear daily.
Hester's love for Dimmesdale to me seems so strong that she is willing to bear the consequences of
both her and Dimmesdale's actions. She bears her love for him by wearing the Scarlet Letter openly,
while his is hidden, and never gives his name up to anyone, not even to Pearl. I felt so bad for
both Hester and Dimmesdale, because it was Dimmesdale who forced Hester to confess the name
of her child's father. She also shows love for Dimmesdale in Chapter 17, by telling him to move
away with her, so that they can start a new life together as a family.
During the novel, Chillingworth's main motive is to get revenge on the man who fathered Pearl.
When he finally begins to suspect Dimmesdale as the father, he uses psychological pressure on
Dimmesdale, torturing Dimmesdale while pretending to be of help and a friend. "This man pure as
they deem him, all spiritual as he seems, hath inherited a strong animal nature from his father or
mother. Let us dig a little further in the direction of his vein." (Hawthorne, p.119). This just shows
how obsessed Chillingworth is with

The Scarlet Letter Outline
Outline: I.Introduction: a.Scarlet letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) b.Puritan writing,
fiction but is supported by historical truth. c.Theme: Sin, Puritanism & individuality versus
conformity d.Hester is the protagonist. Brief summary about Hester. e.Thesis: The (bad and good)
effects of the letter in Hester's life. (Any changes and influences) II.First Paragraph: a.Beginning of
the story where Hester was punished. b.Chapter one through eight, the letter brought negative effects
on Hester's life. Example, with two or three quotations c.

Scarlet Letter Argumentative Essay
Hester Prynne, the woman that has been living as one of the biggest sinners in this town. Since the
time that she had to carry with such an atrocious title, Hester has been humiliated, mentally harmed,
and has slowly lost her own sanity. Now even though she has gone through so much, there is two
things that have not changed and that is for one, she has not once weared the scarlet letter with
shame, she wears it with pride and at the same time with the responsibility of showing the sin that
she will not be able to run away from. Secondly, Hester never stays away from her daughter Pearl,
the girl that brings her the consolation that she needs but also that reflects on the acts of her sin. It
can obviously be seen that Hester most keep her daughter Pearl, she has gone through alot and her
daughter is all she has left to accompany her and bring her peace.
For the most part, Hester sees her relationship with her daughter as a big important factor in her
life. This can be seen by the ways that Hester express herself. "She is my happiness – she is my
torture, nonetheless!" (Hawthorne... pg....show more content...
Hester keeps this in mind all the time and when you, Governor Bellingham, try to take Pearl away
from her, as a protective mother she reacted in an impressive way. "God gave her into my keeping!
I will not give her up!" (Hawthorne... pg. 169). Hester is fully aware on her decisions as a mother,
she will take bad decisions because of course she is a human like anyone else, but when she takes
the right decisions, everyone can see clearly that she does care, and that she will do anything that is
in her power, to make things right and to have the things she love not taken away from

The Scarlet Letter Essay
The Scarlet Letter Introduction The Scarlet Letter is a classic tale of sin, punishment, and revenge. It
was written in 1850 by the famous American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. It documents the lives of
three tragic characters, each of whom suffer greatly because of his or her sins. Shot Plot The story
begins with Hester Prynne, a resident of a small Puritan community, being led from the town
jailhouse to a public scaffold where she must stand for three hours as punishment for adultery. She
must also wear a scarlet A on her dress for the rest of her life as part of her punishment. As she is
led to the scaffold, many of the women in the crowd complain that...show more content...
When Chillingworth asks Hester the identity of her lover, she refuses to answer. Because of this,
Chillingworth makes her promise never to reveal that he is her husband. After Hester is released
from prison, she goes to live in a small cottage at the edge of town. After a few years, people
begin to notice that her daughter, Pearl, behaves very strangely, and they threaten to take her away
from Hester. Hester takes Pearl to Governor Bellingham's mansion planning to plead for the right to
keep her daughter. At the mansion she is met by the governor and his three guests, Reverend
Wilson, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Reverend Dimmesdale convinces the
governor to allow Hester to keep Pearl. Chillingworth, who has been living with Reverend
Dimmesdale since his arrival in town, begins to suspect that Reverend Dimmesdale is the father of
Pearl. One evening while Dimmesdale is sleeping, Chillingworth examines Dimmesdale's chest and
finds something which confirms his suspicion. From this moment on, Chillingworth devotes
himself to seeking revenge. One night, Dimmesdale is so tormented by his conscience that he goes
and stands on the scaffold that Hester had stood on seven years earlier. As he is standing there, he
sees Hester and Pearl walk by and he calls them onto the scaffold with him. After he acknowledges
his guilt to them, a giant red A

Scarlet Letter Essay
A common theme throughout literature is religion and how the author feels about his or her faith.
Nathaniel Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices to draw comparisons between characters and events in
The Scarlet Letter and Biblical figures and accounts. A few of the devices found in this novel that
connect it to the Bible are symbolism, paradox, allusions, and characterization. It is important to first
look at the characters and how they are described through characterization.
The first rhetorical device is characterization. The way the main characters are described by
Hawthorne sets up how they will be perceived. It is through this that we see the first inklings of
biblical figures. Biblical characters are seen...show more content...
However, when you examine them in greater depth it becomes apparent that there is more to them
than there originally appeared to be. The first is that of the scarlet letter itself. The "A" was
originally intended to show people that the person wearing it was a sinner who had committed
adultery. However, as the novel develops it becomes more of a sign of heaven through the
meaning of angel. This is first seen when an "A" appears in the sky shortly after the death of
Governor Winthrop. It is at this time that the townspeople decide this is a sign that Governor
Winthrop was a good Christian who has gone on to a better life. But the townspeople cannot help but
realize that this is the same thing which the have made one of their own people, Hester, wear.
Another symbol is found in what is one of Hester's greatest skills. Her ability with a needle to sew
and embroider better than anyone else has a lot more meaning than there appears to be. Hester uses
sewing as her outlet when she is condemned by the townspeople, but it is through her seclusion and
the sewing she does during her time alone that strengthens her faith in herself and God, much like
Mary did after she first learned of her pregnancy. This faith proves very helpful to her in more trying
times. Yet another symbol is made through the rosebush. The rose bush is a symbol of sin, and Pearl
continues to claim

Essay on The Scarlet Letter
"The Scarlet Letter" is a story that illustrates the lifestyle of Puritans in Massachusetts in 17th
century. Nathaniel Hawthorne takes the theme of sin committed by Hester Prynne prior to her
affair with Arthur Dimmesdale and shows how it affects the lives of the people involved.
Convicted of adultery by Boston's Puritan leaders, she is forced to wear a bright red "A" as a
symbol of adultery over her breast to represent her wrongdoing to the townspeople. As a result of
this sin a child is born, named Pearl. Dimmesdale feels his guilt in the shared sin, but he is unable
to reveal the truth. However, the society punishes him as well. The society in which he lived
suggested him the moral values that become the law of his inner self. Having...show more content...
The governor, judges, priests view the issue of Hester Prynne as a cause to threaten all potential
sinners in town. So, she is led through the crowd to the scaffold of the pillory that represents a
symbol of public shame. The crowds of people approve the severity and strictness of the
authorities; moreover, one of the women affirms that Hester deserves the death. Nevertheless, the
society is also sinful. The magic scarlet sign helps Hester discover sinners from the crowd. >
Consequently, Hester Prynne is isolated from society. She considers her exile as the greatest
tragedy. However, Hawthorne demonstrates how suffering and loneliness harden her will. Instead
of escaping from society, Hester helps and makes good to the people who punished her severely.
> In "The Scarlet Letter"; Hawthorne uses symbols to supply the meaning of his work. The
example of this is the symbol of the forest. It plays an important role in the book. Hawthorn
mentions very often that the forest knows a hidden secret. That induces the reader to suppose that
the Hester's sin is committed there. She and Arthur feel themselves comfortable and totally free as
they are walking in the forest because the laws of society have no force there. That is the place
where they can flee from society and show their love, but the most important is that they can reveal
the truth to each other, not embarrassing of who they

Theme Of Life Lessons In The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is a book that is full of life lessons. With the intention of teaching these lessons,
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Shows the importance society has on someone, and the different ways
grief, shame, hate and confusion can affect you. In the Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is one of the
main characters that faces many challenges and setbacks. There are several other characters who
also face some of the same challenges. It is Hester who finds herself to be a strong independent
woman. With the townspeople discriminating her because of the letter she wears on her chest from
her sin she committed, she learns a few lessons from these dark times of her life. Hester manages to
find ways to become independent and live separately from her community and society. Hester finds a
way to redefine the scarlet letter that lies on her chest as the townspeople judged her. And lastly,
Hester somehow manages to find some happiness out of her dark life. It's not only hester that uses
these events as a lesson, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester to show the outcome of separating herself
from society and successfully living independently.
There are several examples of Hester using the cursed letter that lies on her chest as a lesson for
her and her daughter Pearl. In the beginning, Hester's only choice was to live independently.
Everyday was a day Hetser dreaded because of the public shame she dealt with as she stood on the
scaffold with the letter A on her chest. Hester was described as

Great Gatsby & Scarlet Letter Essay
Jason Bello
AP English
March 22, 2000
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are two
novels, which address similar themes with completely opposite resolves. The authors use their main
characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, Gatsby, and Daisy, in their respective works to present these
themes. The action in both novels revolves around unfaithfulness, its effects on the characters, and
the results of committing adultery, which prove to be antipode from one novel to the other. These
antitheses can be found by a look at the different roles of adultery in the novels. One major theme
found in both novels and addressed in different ways is adultery. Unfaithfulness is ever present in
The Great...show more content...
Hester and Dimmesdale sinned by having sex, Hester was married and Dimmesdale was a reverend.
This act of impurity was turned to a positive with the birth of Pearl, their personal spiritual growth,
and their maturity. On the contrary, thelove that Daisy and Gatsby had before their separation was
pure. They were in love for all the right reasons, and stayed in touch while Jay entered the army.
However, Daisy then fell in love with money and the man who brought it, Tom. When Gatsby
returned, he tried to make their love work again, but his efforts were made through deceit, and illegal
activities. These attempts to win Daisy through a false persona and money made Daisy's love a
possession, which could be won or even bought, and subsequently it became impure. These
contradictions and paradox continue through the novel into the endings.
The differing attitudes towards unfaithfulness in the novels result in differing conclusions for the
characters. Although Hester and Dimmesdale do not consummate their relationship, their
tribulations are not for naught. Both become better, more understanding, people because of their
experiences. There is also the birth of Pearl to validate their affair. Daisy and Gatsby never end up
together either. However, neither one is the better as a result of them having eloped. Gatsby dies a
horrible death, but this is still

Scarlet Letter Protagonist Essay
Essay Test: The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" is set in the early days of Puritan America. Hester
Prynne, a seamstress, comes to the New World before her husband in order to prepare a place for
them. During his absence, she develops a relationship with Arthur Dimmesdale, a rising minister in
the newly founded Puritan community. Hester becomes pregnant. The novel is widely viewed to be
a story about her trials and tribulations; however, critic Randall Steward argues that, "В…Hester is
not the protagonist, the chief actor, and the tragedy of the novel is not her tragedy but Arthur's. He
is the persecuted one, the tempted one. He it was whom the sorrows of death encompassedВ…His
public confession is one of...show more content...
...ye that have loved me!В—ye that have deemed me holy!В—behold me here, the one sinner of the
world! At last!В—at last!" (p.239) At this moment Dimmesdale falls to the ground and there he
dies having finally cleared his conscience. Dimmesdale is a character that changes quite a bit in
the novel; perhaps even more than Prynne. He is also persecuted and tempted. He also must find a
way to live day to day with an enormous guilt that leads to his death. It is a tremendous oversight to
not see that he truly is a protagonist in "The Scarlet Letter" and to not see that he is just as important
of a character as Hester Prynne. Hawthorne wrote "The Scarlet Letter" with two protagonists. Yes,
the reader has to look closely to see them, but once it is realized it actually becomes quite obvious.
Those characters are parallel in so many different ways. Randall Steward was correct when he
wrote that Dimmesdale was persecuted and tempted. However, to state that the tragedy did not
belong to Hester Prynne at all was too much of a step. The two of these characters grew as people
and they lived the best they could. They certainly are two of the most remembered characters in all of

Scarlett Letter Essay
The Scarlett Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. This novel holds the genre of a
romantic piece portrayed through fiction, in a historical setting. It takes place in Boston
Massachusetts in the middle of the 17th century. This book contains a numerous amount of
symbolism, imagery, allegories, and allusions. Hawthorne introduces us to the prison first because
he does not want us to get the idea that this book is going to be cheerful, someone is going to get
shamed. Hester Prynne (main character) gets shamed in front of the whole town while displaying
her scarlet letter "A" for adultery. During her conviction her husband (Robert Chillingworth) returns
home after two years, and they have a tense meeting at the prison. Hester and...show more content...
Nathaniel was an American writer who was born in Salem Massachusetts, with a long New England
history. Nathaniel's original name of the family was Hathorne, he added a "w" to distinguish himself
from his family history. His relative was a prominent judge in the Salem witch trials of 1692–1693.
Nathaniel grew up from the upbringing of his mother. His father, a sea captain, died of yellow
fever in Suriname. His uncle Robert Manning, help Nathaniel and his mother financially, helping
with his college education at Bowdoin College. Hawthorne did not enjoy school even though he
was an avid reader and writer. He was an average student in the class of 1825. After graduation,
Hawthorne went back home to Salem. He spent a lot of time in the local library, learning about his
ancestral roots and his Puritan past. During this time of his discovery Hawthorne wrote many short
stories, but they were failed to publish. He married his wife Sophia at her parent's home in Boston
during 1842, once married they moved to Concord, Massachusetts. They rented the Old Manse from
Ralph Waldo Emerson. Surrounded in the literary circle and transcendental movement, the
Hawthorne's had big social lives. After Hawthorne's income from publishing short stories, they
moved in with Hawthorne's mother in Salem around 1845. Hawthorne took up a job at the Salem
Custom House but since Boston had taken much of the seaport business from Salem,

Scarlet Letter Essays

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