... Prynne's strength and determination provide the perfect attributes to conquer her sins and the sins of others. The "A" that Hester Prynne bears in The Scarlet Letter shifts in meaning at least two times to mirror the character changes of Hester throughout the progression of the novel and the town's acceptance of ... pride broken. She first appears to the host with her head held high and a brilliantly embroidered scarlet letter "A" upon her chest. With the use of her needle working skills, Hester presents the highly ornamental scarlet letter on her chest proving she will stand tall though...

• Word Count: 842
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... food and clothing. By the end of the novel the "a" changed meanings from adultery to able. The shame attached to her scarlet letter is long gone. Throughout The Scarlet Letter Hester is portrayed as an intelligent, capable, but not necessarily extraordinary woman. It is the extraordinary circumstances shaping her that make her ... his confession was a symbolic act, while others believe Dimmesdale's fate was an example of divine judgment. The Scarlet Letter defines the relationship between the individual and society through Hester's alienation from Puritan Boston caused by the sin she com...

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

... her to commit adultery; she did so out of her own weakness. However, there were instances when the Boston community simply alienated Hester out of hatred and 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 expel any ... individual and society. Hester has become such an outcast that it has become impossible for her to regain any status in the community. Once she has been branded with the scarlet A, she, in effect, is branded for life. While ...

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

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel which portrays the message of sin and punishment, through the outcome of an adulterous relationship between Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne ... he becomes further entrenched in his guilt. His reaction, however, is not to palliate his suffering by confessing, rather, he further engrosses himself in self-mutilation by creating his own "scarlet A" on his chest, the conduit through which he attempts to atone for his sin. After dealing with increasing frustration, Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold in the mi...

• Word Count: 1174
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate