Shame In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

The Shame “Shame is nothing more than denial of the truth.” – M. Funkhouser. Everyone agrees that
Hester was publicly shamed; though some disagree with her punishment, others approve of this.
Hester should have been publicly shamed because it would show her discipline, she would think twice, and it would change her.
The first reason Hester should have been publicly shamed is it would teach her discipline.
Children need to have discipline so they can have admirable character and learn right from wrong. But what about adults? They also need discipline when they have done something unjust. For example, murder. When someone commits murder that person is immediately punished for their crime. The
How would he know she wouldn’t do it again? The second reason Hester should have been publicly shamed is she would think twice about doing it again. Hester had committed a crime with Mr. Dimmesdale. And because she wanted to be with him she should be punished just in case she decided or thought about doing it again. Since Hester’s punishment was public she was greatly humiliated by the scarlet letter and herself. Terri 2

“ ‘Make way, good people, make way, in the King’s name,’ cried he. ‘Open a passage; and, I promise ye, Mistress Prynne shall be set where man, woman, and child may have a fair sight of her brave apparel, from this time till an hour past meridian…
Come along, Madam Hester, and show your scarlet letter in the market place (38).’ ”
Hester’s humiliation was critical. Though she hated every minute, it was the best for her and would show her the wrongness of her crime. The third reason Hester should have been publicly shamed is it change her. With the humiliation she felt, it turned her into a different