Scarlet
A “hero” is defined as a person admired or idealized for their courage or noble qualities. To me, a hero is someone who will fight against the odds for what they believe is right, sometimes making a personal sacrafise for the benefits of others. In the book, the Scarlett Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne depicts main character Hester Prynne as the hero. Although it may be true that Hester commits the sin of adultery, we must look beyond that and on to how this sin not only beneficial to Hester, but the town as a whole.
Every hero has to have their brutal beginnings before they blossom into their true hero status. For Hester Prynne, this was the constant critism and negative views the Puritan community held for Hester because of her commiting the crime of adultery, ultimately leading her to evolve into a stronger person. The townspeople feel like Hester’s sin deserves "At the very least…a hot iron on [her] forehead,” or even death. (Hawthorne, 53) Hester’s heroic charcteristics are first seen when she comes out of the prison. Every one expects Hester to be “dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud,” when she walks out , but instead she emerges with “a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed,” (55). Despite the harsh critisicm of the Puritan society, Hester does not allow herself to be influenced and show shame for her acts, like the community thinks she should. The critiscms of the town do not weaken Hester as a person, rather strengthen her to stand strong and accept her punishment with grace instead of shame. Hester also grew through the wearing of the letter “A” on her bosom. The letter was put on the bosom of Hester to inform the whole community of Hester’s sin. However, Hester embroidered the “A” “so fantastically…It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself,” (56). By making the letter look beautiful rather than shameful, like the towns intentions, Hester proves
Every hero has to have their brutal beginnings before they blossom into their true hero status. For Hester Prynne, this was the constant critism and negative views the Puritan community held for Hester because of her commiting the crime of adultery, ultimately leading her to evolve into a stronger person. The townspeople feel like Hester’s sin deserves "At the very least…a hot iron on [her] forehead,” or even death. (Hawthorne, 53) Hester’s heroic charcteristics are first seen when she comes out of the prison. Every one expects Hester to be “dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud,” when she walks out , but instead she emerges with “a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed,” (55). Despite the harsh critisicm of the Puritan society, Hester does not allow herself to be influenced and show shame for her acts, like the community thinks she should. The critiscms of the town do not weaken Hester as a person, rather strengthen her to stand strong and accept her punishment with grace instead of shame. Hester also grew through the wearing of the letter “A” on her bosom. The letter was put on the bosom of Hester to inform the whole community of Hester’s sin. However, Hester embroidered the “A” “so fantastically…It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself,” (56). By making the letter look beautiful rather than shameful, like the towns intentions, Hester proves