Preview

Scarlet Letter Research Simulation Task: Public Shame

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1307 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Scarlet Letter Research Simulation Task: Public Shame
The Scarlet Letter Research Simulation Task: Public Shame A girl who only went by Maureen was in 7th grade when she found herself having a crush on a boy in her school who was very athletic, cute, and tall. By using Kik, a social media platform, they would connect with each other and talk every day. After talking for several months, the boy asked for the girl to send naked photos. She had said no multiple times although the boy still continued to ask and she finally agreed and sent him 3 photos. He claimed that he would delete them immediately but it was only a few months later after they stopped talking, that she discovered that he never deleted them. The photos had been seen circulating around the school where she was called names like …show more content…
In the text, The Scarlet Letter, it expresses, “Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world. An imp of evil, emblem, and product of sin, she had no right among christened infants” (Hawthorne 85). Since Pearl was born as a product of sin, the community viewed her as one and she was always looked at with negative words, such as “evil” and “elf-child”. Pearl was with her mother when she was being publicly shamed in front of everyone and from that day on, she could never be just a child that could be viewed the same as other children since she was looked at as a sin from the whole community. Also in this text, it describes, “Behold, verily, there is the woman of the scarlet letter; and, or a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along by her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!” (Hawthorne 93). The children in the Puritan society look at Pearl as this product of sin as they see Hester wearing the scarlet letter. In this scene, they want to splash mud at them which is terrible but they view not only Hester, but Pearl as well, as nasty and bad people in their community. Next, Justine Sacco was a woman who was going to South Africa for a trip when she posted a racist tweet that offended many people. In the article it states, “... people began threatening her family directly,” (Bilton 1). Even though her family …show more content…
In The Scarlet Letter it states, “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die!” (Hawthorne 49). People that were in the crowd while Hester was being publicly shamed said horrible things about her and that she should cease to exist. Hester felt that these words were very powerful and she became so sad because she knew the only person she would have in her life is Pearl and that is it. In addition, the text adds, “There were many people present, from the country round about, who had often heard of the scarlet letter, and to whom it had been made terrific by a hundred false or exaggerated rumors, but who had never beheld it with their bodily eyes. These, after exhausting other modes of amusement, now thronged about Hester Prynne with rude and boorish intrusiveness,” (Hawthorne 220). When several people came to listen to Mr. Dimmesdale give his sermon, they all would look rudely at Hester and the scarlet letter. Several people have heard many things, overstate and untrue rumors, about Hester and the scarlet letter and continued to shame her 7 years later for her sin. She did not appreciate getting a lot of attention at this revelation and definitely disliked and was hurt by all the rude stares she had gotten by the people. Furthermore, Monica Lewinsky was a woman who fell in love with her boss, Bill Clinton, the President of the United

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    6) In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne employs figurative language to explain the symbolic character of Pearl before she becomes a woman. To Hester, her child who is often associated with sin is, “Her Pearl! ...she named the infant “Pearl”, as being of great price, --purchased with all she had, her mother’s only treasure!”(6,1). This allusion of the Gospel of Matthew, the merchant man seeking goodly pearls gave up everything to get that one pearl, similarly connects to how Hester gave up everything such as her home, friends, and dignity just to obtain her daughter, Pearl. Hester sustains the pain of abandonment and wrath from the Puritans just to keep Pearl; Pearl gives Hester a reason to strengthen herself and survive in this community…

    • 302 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scarlet Letter Sin Quotes

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages

    She is the result of Dimmesdale and Hester's love for each other. Because of Hester's crime, Pearl is also discriminated because of her mother. "Behold, verily, there is the woman of the scarlet letter; and of a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!"(Hawthorne 112). This quote explains how the Puritan children felt about Hester and Pearl. They wanted to fling mud at them because these children were probably told to hate them, and also of the crime Hester committed. Pearl is also considered a wild child, and very untamed and very unlike Puritan children."The child shall be well cared for!–far better than tho canst do for it."(Hawthorne 124). And "The discipline of the family in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now....Hester Prynne, nevertheless, the loving mother of this one child, ran little risk of erring on the side of undue severity. Mindful, however, of her own errors and misfortunes, she early sought to impose a tender, but strict control over the infant immortality that was committed to her charge. But the task was beyond her skill. After testing both smiles and frowns, and proving that neither mode of treatment possessed any calculable influence, Hester was ultimately compelled to stand aside and permit the child to be swayed by her own impulses." (Hawthorne 100). This quote explains how unlike Puritan child Pearl is, and how's she's offended. Pearl is considered wild and has no rules to follow, because Hester hasn't disciplined her. Because of this, the Townspeople want to give Pearl away to someone who's a better parent. Hester's sin has affected Pearl because she isn't treated with respect and she's considered the result of Hester's sin. Pearl is also considered a wild child that must be…

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne portrayed a perverse yet conscience-stricken romance between Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth in which created the outcome of the Liaison, Pearl. Hester was shunned and punished due to the opinions of adultery, in which was looked down upon in the 1800’s. Hester committed the crime due to her falling in love with another man, Rev. Dimmesdale and caused her to wear a letter of an “A” as punishment since her husband had randomly abandoned her for “Medical School” without any sign or message of his disappearance. If adultery is committed, then the adulterer must confirm their partner that had…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl symbolizes a real and constant reminder of Hester’s sins, she is much more prominent and evident than the “A” that Hester wore, for she is a real living breathing person who will always remain a part Hester. Hawthorne places Pearl in the novel to explore the theme of Romanticism, to create a character who is passionate and true, one who questions the behavior and values of Hester and Dimmesdale.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Letter talks about a story of a woman called Hester wears an “A” which means “Adultery” in a strict society, through whole story, we can see how this “A” affect not only her but also the people around her. Pearl as Hester’s daughter, the youngest main role in the Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne uses her to show us the most comprehensive analysis about different characters in this book. Because of how innocent and pure Pearl is, we also can see reactions of the society and people at that time as well as a little girl who grows up in a special environment how she deals with those treatments.…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Her alienation has different circumstances, however, because she was born an alien, she did nothing wrong. Since she is the product of sin, many consider her a "demon child" with supernatural powers. For this reason, she herself is a symbol of her alienation; "It [Pearl] was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!" (70). She is compared to Hester's symbol of alienation, but she is a breathing, living form of the same symbol. She alienated herself and her mother from society. She is not your normal child, she acts very different; "She [Hester] could recognize her [Pearl] wild, desperate, defiant, mood, the flightiness of her temper, and even some of the very cloud-shapes of gloom and despondency that had brooded in her heart," (63). In this description of Pearl's behavior, we see a child that does not fit in your normal Puritan mold; she is a child filled of energy, character, and mischief. She finds a way to live a happy life regardless of being an outcast from society. Because of Pearl's behavior and her mother's sin, lots of drama occurs around the possession of the child; "Women it is thy bandage of shame! ...It is because of the stain which that letter indicates, that we would transfer thy child to other hands," (76). Here, Governor Bellingham is trying to take Pearl from her mother to give her a "normal" life in attempt to raise the child into your average, molded Puritan. Pearl…

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the Puritan community banned all forms of sin. Sin was looked upon as evil, being connected to the devil and his dark ways. Hester Prynne, the main character of the story, was shunned by the rest of the Puritan world after committing the sin of adultery. She lived in a world where it was not accepted. She was isolated from the world around her, having little hope. Throughout the novel, symbols such as the character of the kind woman, the wild rose bush outside of the prison doors and the character of Pearl, Hester Prynne's illegitimate child, are used to show that even in a world full of sin and darkness, there is always hope.…

    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In ¨The Scarlet Letter¨ Pearl starts off symbolizing sin at first but as the book progresses she becomes more than that. During the first few chapters of this novel, the author introduces Pearl as the product of sin, causing most people right away to symbolize her as sin. This is important because the reader should know what Pearl symbolized at first and that it has the potential to change. It will describe why…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hester Prynne the main character of The Scarlet Letter is plagued with the adulteress "A" throughout the novel. Her Puritan society shuns, scorns, and talks negatively about her behind her back and to her face. Aware of society's lack of acceptance of her sin Hester looks to nature for her own sense of security and freedom. "She had wandered without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast and as intricate as the untamed Forrest…Her intellect and heart had their home as it were in desert places where it roamed as freely as the wild Indian in his woods (1440)." The forrest for Hester was freedom from the "A" that society damned upon her. In the forrest she had the ability to take off the "A" and be her natural self. Chapter 18 states, "She undid her clasp that fastened the scarlet letter and taking it from her bosom through it among the withered leaves (1441)." After taking off the letter in her place of freedom she was clean of society's evil eye against her. "O exquisite relief! She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom (1442)." Hester Prynne's daughter Pearl also proves the burdens of society can be overcome with the beauty of nature.…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 1600’s was a time in the Roman Catholic Church where followers were breaking away to start their own church. These Protestants who sought out to find a purer version of the church were called appropriately The Puritans. The Puritans stood on a base of strong religious beliefs and contained very strict regulations for their people to follow. The communities they set up were structured, and the ministers of the towns ruled with iron fists. Their belief in Satan however, was some of the most notable in history, such as the Salem Witch trials. In the story of “The Scarlet Letter,” it shows how far the Puritans would take a single punishment for a now common sin. For their time and beliefs, Hester was a sinner, and her child Pearl was the work of the devil. After finding her guilty of adultery, their punishment was to humiliate, to show that she had done wrong. That was accomplished with the scaffold of shame, embarrassing Hester Prynne and her new born child. The second half of the punishment was for her to adorn a scarlet letter on her bosom for the rest of her days. This might have been taking it a little too far.…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hester Prynne

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hester Prynne defies the ideological image of a Puritan women. Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays her as strong self reliant and outgoing women in The Scarlet Letter who castes away the stereotypical ideology of a Puritan women and establishes the concept of feminism. She defies all the necessary component of becoming a mother. She hand raised her daughter, Pearl, with no man for assistant and with a stable occupation. Although she is looked down upon by society as a sinner or someone who is impure, she brushes off the inequities and continues on with her head held high. With no man to help run the family, she took upon herself to get a job to make a living. Little did she know that her sewing clothing for her society would lead them to believe she is different from the women in her society. Hester Prynne defies the every law of the Puritan society and becomes the scapegoat for her society, yet…

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hester Prynne, the main character of the book "The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, commits adultery, is considered a hussy, and has a child as the result of her sin. She cheats on her husband while he is absent from town and receives a harsh punishment for her behavior already. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life. It is now on debate on whether or not Pearl should be taken away from her mother’s guidance. This is due to the fact that she is a sinner and might not be a qualified mother for her child.It is true, that no matter what you did in the past, a child is a blessing and parents change due to the love they have for their children. Therefore, Hester Prynne is a good mother and she has been taking actions to prove so.…

    • 1501 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Scarlet Letter Essay

    • 1416 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hester demonstrates what it is like to be an outcast in society. When the town finds out that Hester had committed adultery, everybody views her differently than before. They only see her as a sinner and they all gather to watch her be humiliated and punished in front of the rest of the town. Although Hester did not regret committing her sin, the opinions of others still affect her in a certain way. She is shameful, but not remorseful. As proven, Hester’s thoughts are revealed as, “Like all other joys, she rejected it as a sin.” (Hawthorne 57) Hawthorne mentions that “The exception indicated the ever relentless vigor with which society frowned upon her sin.” (Hawthorne 57) This quote proves that society has an entirely different view on Hester just because she will now have a scarlet letter on her breast. During this time, Puritans viewed Hester’s sin in the same way present day society views murder, which is why everybody is repulsed with her because of her act of adultery. The following quote demonstrates Hester’s shame towards having to wear the letter “As if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron. I shuddered, and involuntarily let it fall upon the floor.” (Hawthorne 60) This quote displays the severe emotional scarring Hester feels from a small,…

    • 1416 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Changes in Hester Prynne

    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages

    <br>The fact that Hester committed adultery was soon forgotten by the people around Hesters' everyday life. Yet another meaning for the scarlet letter was brought about when a meteorite appeared above Boston, a sexton thought it represented the word "Angel" coming from above. What was once an ignoble member of the puritan way of life became a decorous woman. This turn in events was inevitable because of…

    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “The Scarlet Letter” we see just how much evil causes people to judge others. Hawthorne effectively shows this through his character of Hester Prynne. Since Prynne committed the sin of adultery, she is forced to stand upon a scaffold in front of the whole city of Boston to be questioned and scolded. One of the townsmen said to Chillingworth, “The penalty thereof is death. But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory and… wear a mark of shame upon her bosom.” (Hawthorne p.4) This quote shows us that the public’s opinion on Hester Prynne has now forever changed. She is forced to wear a scarlet “A” upon her bosom to let everybody know exactly what she has done. The evil she has committed has greatly affected everyone’s point of view on Hester Prynne.…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays