Hester Prynne is a young woman who married a much older man and was sent to a foreign country without the companionship of her husband. Early adulthood is a time when we begin to form an identity that is unique. We become more independent, separate from our families of origin

After seven years, the symbol of the Scarlet Letter transforms from one of ill repute to one of respect and regard. Hester has lived a blameless, pure life without contention amongst those who formerly condemned her. Hawthorne states,

Hester emerges from her confinement in the prison proud and defiant. Her fabrication of the Scarlet Letter evokes indignation and resentment from the townspeople.

Because this punishment separated her from society and the townspeople who were once her friends, Hester is constrained to living a life alone with her daughter Pearl on the outskirts of town. Once an impetuous, passionate young woman, Hester begins to metamorphose into a responsible, contemplative mother. Hester becomes active in serving the needs of the poor and sick in her community. Developing a sense of identity requires opportunities to self reflect about what is important to you and what kind of person you want to be. Hester was afforded this time of self reflection in the years following her sentence. Wearing the symbol of the Scarlet Letter became an integral part of who Hester believed herself to be as a person. Her own daughter Pearl does not acknowledge Hester when she takes the symbol off her dress as she sits and converses with Arthur Dimmesdale in the forest. Pearl demands that Hester put the letter back on and will only interact with her mother once Hester complies.

luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a lasting and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore…”

Clearly something was lacking in Hester’s marriage to Roger. The fact that she chooses to engage in a sexual relationship with another man exposes a weakness in her relationship with Roger. Perhaps this was Hester’s first experience with absolute independence. Perhaps her marriage to Roger was arranged by her parents or was entered into as a marriage of convenience or as a means of fina

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