The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter, written in the 1800s by Anti-Transcendentalist Nathaniel Hawthorne, tells the story of Hester Prynne. Young Hester watchd in New England, about the identical time witch trials were whitewash conducted, and she is found guilty of carrying a gratify whose father she refuses to confess. The avengement for this crime is from then until the rest of her life, Hester had to bear a stitched A on her breast. This A carries the namesake of the harbor, The Scarlet Letter. Although thought to be an embarrassment and earn of torture for Hester, this orange red letter seems to become a sense of presumption for Prynne. This scarlet letter grows to become a part of Hester an identification to her child Pearl. The scarlet letter is a constant recurring symbol in Hawthornes novel, but it doesnt satisfy only one purpose. As many symbols work to do, the scarlet letter serves numerous functions, which enhance the story. The first and most perspicuous symbol would be the ac tual A that was stitched on Hesters chest. In this example, the scarlet letter was a symbol for the entire world to see and roast Prynne for her wrong-doing This use of public humiliation for Hester was thought to be necessary to punish and teach Prynne a lesson. This puts much focus on the way lot harass and torture others simply because they feel other people control done things morally wrong and deserve punishment. While the wrong-doers are beingness punished, the punishers in turn commit wrongs. Here many questions arise. Was it wrong for Hester to prolong her childs father a secret from the public? Was is wrong for her to have to live her life as a walking, breathing example of what that Boston residential district thought was bad? Another usage of symbol in this book was what the scarlet letter becomes for Hester. This punishment which was branded into her soul for eternity starts to cant gears as the novel progresses. The sentence for her crime starts to become more a part of her than she would ever have imagined. Although the origin of the A to the public was, is, and always lead be for her crime of adultery, which was at that time considered illegal and immoral, but it withal gives her public recognition. The recognition was of course bad at first, but it was still a way that turned all heads, and eyes were on Hester.