... a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself" (Hawthorne ). The words "meagre", "cold", and "sympathy" represent the insufficiency of the townspeople's ... but they instead decided to stand back and allow her torture to continue. The word "penalty" indicates that the punishment that Hester received was equal to the crime that she committed, as degree of a penalty is normally assessed in relation to the level of illegality of the infraction. ... The "mocking infa...

• Word Count: 1003
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... congregation generally interprets his sermons allegorically rather than as expressions of any personal guilt. This drives Dimmesdale to further internalize his guilt and self-punishment and leads to still more deterioration in his physical and spiritual condition. The town's idolization of him reaches new heights after his Election ... Hester's nonconformist attitude, society had reasons for condemning her. An argument can be made in favor of society insisting that adultery is a crime deserving of a punishment. What Hester and Dimmesdale did was wrong, both of them admit to it, and it wa...

• Word Count: 968
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... most readers would instinctively feel sympathy for Hester's nonconformist attitude, society had reasons for condemning her. An argument can be made in favor of society insisting that adultery is a crime deserving of a punishment. What Hester and Dimmesdale did was wrong, both of them admit to it, and it was up to society to enact full authority over the criminals. Hester's not wanting ... fear of the scarlet letter that she was forced to wear. Actions taken to remove Pearl from Hester's care are an ideal example of society overstepping the boundaries of regular punishment simply to expe...

• Word Count: 568
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... ." As you can see examples of shunning are directly expressed through the fact that TMZ released a video on the actions of Ray rice and the fact that people described his punishment as mild. This goes to show that many citizens shun Rice for what he did in society because it is being broadcasted around the world for everyone to see and ... stand on a scaffold in front of the townspeople for three hours wearing an embroided Scarlet letter "A" which stood for "Adultery" at that point in the novel. This was Hester's punishment for committing her "crime." it was described as humiliating to H...

• Word Count: 1654
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the townspeople Reverend Dimmesdale is the holiest and most perfect person in the town. I believe that Dimmesdale was unwilling to take responsibility for his crime because he was looked at as the perfect person so if anybody found out it would ruin his reputation, and he would be humiliated ... because he didn't want to loose his reputation as the holiest person in his town. For example, Dimmesdale had an opportunity to confess his crime to everyone, when Hester was on the scaffold being questioned by the governor and Reverend Dimmesdale. I believe when Dimmesdale was questioning Hester...

• Word Count: 391
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... evils of the Puritan era and its hypocrisy, many of his works take place in colonial New England and center around themes such as morality, guilt, good vs. evil, sin, punishment and criticism of the past (Turner, 135-138). His deep infatuation with these themes is strongly evident in his most famous novel; The Scarlet Letter, which tells the tale of ... a young woman who commits adultery and is persecuted by her Puritan community for committing such an immoral sin. Additionally, as punishment for her adulterous crime she is forced to don a Scarlett "A" on her clothing as a constant remi...

• Word Count: 1129
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... acknowledges his wrong doings privately but cannot repent for it when in public. Although, the narrator points out indirectly that Dimmesdale is a person of self-harm as he explains that "Crime is for the iron-nerved, who have their choice either to endure it, or, if it press too hard, to exert their fierce and savage strength " (Hawthorne 274). It is ... evident that Dimmesdale is too altruistic to handle the gravity of his guilt and as it keeps growing, the only resolution is for self-flagellation as a punishment for his wickedness. As compensation for his lies, he insists the congreg...

• Word Count: 557
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate