Sin‚ Punishment and Redemption in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is a book about sin‚ punishment‚ and the hope of redemption. The book is about the life in colonial Boston of Hester Prynne‚ Her husband Roger Chillingworth‚ and Hester’s lover Arthur Dimmesdale. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a very complex and can be interpreted in many ways. Throughout the novel the Concept of sin‚ punishment‚ and redemption was portrayed through Hester Prynne‚ Aurthur Dimmesdale and Roger
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One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl‚ the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl‚ throughout the story‚ develops into a dynamic individual‚ as well as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is shunned because of her mother’s sin. Pearl is a living representation of the scarlet letter - acting as a constant reminder of Hester’s sin. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the infant; "...whose
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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States. Hawthorne was born July 4‚ 1804 in Salem Massachusetts. An early ancestor of Hawthorne‚ William Hathorne‚ emigrated to Salem‚ Massachusetts in 1630 and took on the reputation of being a harsh judge during the Salem Witch Trials in the 1690s. Hawthorne‚ wanting to distance himself from the puritan legacy on his father’s side‚ added a “w” to his last name. Wanting to further remove his family
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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ shows how Hester Prynne is punished by the community for committing adultery. Hester changes throughout the novel because of punishment. When Hester wears the "A‚" she wears it confidently and with pride. The "A" also makes her feel remorse for her sin. Lastly‚ the community reaccepts her because she changes and learns from her punishment. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ the symbolic "A" changes Hester because it gives her confidence
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"On a field‚ sable‚ the letter A‚ gules‚” is the closing sentence of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ a fictional story centered around real histories from Puritan New England. Hester Prynne‚ the main character of the story‚ conceives a child through an affair with an unknown man. She is publicly shamed for her act of adultery but refuses to reveal the name of her lover‚ despite the humiliation she must endure alone. Everyone wanted to see the fallen woman as the beadle‚ an officer of the
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In the great book of The Scarlet Letter‚ Hester Prynne is found guilty of adultery. As punishment she must wear a scarlet “A”‚ which stands for adultery or affair. She stood on a scaffold holding her infant child in humiliation of her sin. Officials of the town attempted to make Hester give up the name of the father of her child. Hester refused to tell anyone‚ she remained quiet‚ and accepted her crime alone. Hester could have easily escaped the situation she was in. At any time she could have left
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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne takes place in a small Puritan town in Boston‚ Massachusetts during the seventeenth century. Hester Prynne‚ the main character‚ commits adultery‚ which is frowned upon by Puritan religion‚ with the town’s minister‚ Arthur Dimmesdale. As public punishment she embroiders a red scarlet A with gold thread to wear on her bosom of all her dresses. Pearl‚ Hester’s daughter‚ is living proof of Hester’s sin; she continually mocks her mother’s scarlet letter. As The
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Many people think that Hester’s punishment was fair. However‚ in reality‚ her punishment was cruel and unusual. Hester Prynne’s punishment was not a fair punishment. It caused her embarrassment‚ people to talk about her‚ and it was rubbing off on her daughter‚ Pearl. Hester’s punishment of wearing the letter “A” was not a fair punishment and caused her embarrassment. For example‚ when Hester stood on the scaffold she felt very embarrassed because everyone in the town stared at her and judged her
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Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter “He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it‚ is a saint; that boasteth of it‚ is a devil” (Thomas Fuller). In modern times‚ society doesn’t sentence a man to jail time for committing the crime of adultery. We have grown to accept adultery more in our society today than people did in the 17th century. Back then‚ committing the sin of adultery was as bad as murder‚ and an adulterer could be sentenced to death. Luckily for Hester Prynn in The Scarlet Letter‚ she is
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Hester’s Diary Entry I couldn’t believe what was happening‚ for the first time I come face to face with my husband when he was called to my prison cell to provide me medical assistance. Its about time he did something‚ he’s done nothing but left me alone in darkness of this evil cold cell. He then offers me a cup of medicine‚ at this point I then become speechless. However‚ I know his true identity therefore I refuse to drink his potion. He assures me that there is no poison and claims that he
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