... from typical Romantic writings with their darker tales concerning sin and morality (www.trackstar.com). The following pages will examine the way sin affected the Puritan Community in the Scarlet Letter. First, they explain the history of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Then, they explore the sin and according punishment for the Puritan Community. Finally, they show how the sin affected the Puritans (Shepard 5). Nathaniel Hawthorne, born in Salem, Massachusetts, July 4, 1804 and died May 11, 1864, was ... the first American writer to apply artistic judgment to Puritan society. Hawthorne was heavily...

• Word Count: 1751
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Kevin McCarthy Mr. Sedgwick English 10 2/5/01 Title In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter Roger Chillingworth is considered to be the greatest sinner. Chillingworth is considered to be the greatest sinner when sin is defined according to the Catholic Catechism and modern definition as any unloving act and deliberate disobedience of the known will of God. Sin in The Scarlet Letter is not only committed by Chillingworth but by Hester Prynne, Arthur ... Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale Group. December 2000. Http://www.galenet.com/servlet/SRC/ Gerber, John. "Form and Content in T...

• Word Count: 2203
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Many of Nathaniel Hawthorne's works of literature focus on the issues surrounding Puritan society. Hawthorne explores the tendency that many fundamentalist religious groups have towards the alienation of those members deemed sinful and uncovers the hidden evil in even the most pious of preachers. He achieves this by developing plot lines focusing on interactions between ignorant and often malevolent religious characters and sinful but relatable protagonists. The novel The Scarlet Letter, The Ministers Black ... of anyone who does not conform to the values, beliefs, or customs shared by the ma...

• Word Count: 1379
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... the case in the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in which the reader learns about the journey of Hester Prynne, the women caught in adultery and sentenced to wear the shameful "A " on her chest. This journey, which includes Mr. Dimmesdale, the man Hester was involved with, Pearl, the daughter of Hester, and Chillingworth, the man who was married to Hester brings the reader into the exploration of the many themes apparent in the novel. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the ... characters in the ... ...

• Word Count: 1923
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography

Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter is based on the puritanical custom of affixing a giant red, letter "A" to anybody that committed adultery. The novel centers on the adulterous Puritan Hester Prynne. Throughout the novel, she loyally refuses to reveal the name of her partner. The novel is generally regarded as Hawthorne's masterpiece and as one of the classics of American literature. However, it also reflects the ... typical, partriarchical attitude of both puritan society and of contemporary society. For instance, even the definition of the word, "Scarlet ... "Hester did not si...

• Word Count: 1505
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... feel unworthy, and embarrassed for their actions. This feeling stands as a prominent symbol in the novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This novel focuses on the Puritans and how they classify and deal with sin. The puritans are a group of people who arrived in America in the early 1600s and settled in Massachusetts Boston. They are religiously inclined and use religion in all ... aspects of life including the court system. The bible states, "he [that adulteress] destroyeth his ... symbol is, it "was red-hot with infernal fire" (Hawthorne 82). The letter not only sy...

• Word Count: 1253
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the letter A is given to the characters Hester and Dimmesdale. According to the law of the Puritan society and the strict interpretation of the Bible, adultery is one of the deadliest sins that led to the deadliest punishment - execution or corporal punishment. The letter A came to symbolize different things for each character. For Hester, the Scarlet Letter symbolizes her adultery and for Dimmesdale, it is a reminder of his hidden sin. The characters are ... looked forward to this result. The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such h...

• Word Count: 1309
• Approx Pages: 5

... the course of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne several occurrences of sin are recognized within each of the characters. The true identities of Hester and Dimmesdale are brought to the surface throughout the novel because of the sin they share. Both characters have committed what was considered a great sin in the time period, and it manifested differently within them. Their future and newfound identities are a projection of the ... permanent position in Hester's life (Hawthorne 201). Many members of this society may have forgotten about or forgiven Hester's misgivings, but she do...

• Word Count: 1347
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School