... beginning of time people have enjoyed reading books in which the "hero " falls from grace and struggles with the consequences. This is very much 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 ... , 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 cha...

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

... townspeople. They are all hypocrites for being the same people who go to church weekly repenting their sins. Hawthorne uses many symbols throughout The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses the colors red, black, and white to represent Hester's emotions and the emotions of those around her. The most frequently used ... color symbol by Hawthorne is red. Red most obviously represents Hester's sin, as shown by her scarlet letter. Her scarlet letter, like her sin, is something she must always deal with and is something she can never escape. Pearl the product of Hester's sin, ... committed any great...

• Word Count: 1044
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... of the public, but also the deep burn that guilt evokes. The children in the village are taught to look at the woman who bears the scarlet letter "as the figure, the body, the reality of sin" (Hawthorne 74). Pearl, a very smart and curious, girl is described as ... because of her mother. As she grows, her personality changes in the reader's mind to be pure because of her amiable nature. Pearl symbolizes the scarlet letter on Hester's chest. When Hester stands on the scaffold and cannot bear the ridicule she "clasp[s] the infant closely to her bosom"( ... Hawthorne 48). She does this to t...

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

... 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

... of the context. What these people lack is the true understanding of what valuable lessons the novel really teaches. American schools systems should continue allowing The Scarlet Letter to be taught because of its teachings of the Puritan society, the effects of sin, and the spirit of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Any true educator can ... see how there are many elements that can be taught through The Scarlet Letter. The plot of the story revolves around the Puritan era which has so much rich history to be told about the society. This particular society ... law of God is; both of these men go aga...

• Word Count: 707
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... propitious consequences. Pearl, the product of Hester's adulterous relationship with Dimmesdale, embodies this theme. The child of sin becomes "her mother's only treasure... Man had marked [Hester's] sin by a scarlet letter, which had such potent and disastrous efficacy that no human sympathy could reach her, save it were sinful like herself. God, as a direct consequence of the sin which man thus ... 's torture. "But for [his] aid, [Dimmesdale's] life would have burned away in torments;" by prolonging his life, Chillingworth allows the minister to confess before his death (157). In The S...

• Word Count: 1485
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... a punishment for a sinful act, and as living reminders of human foibles. The symbols used in this book are the scarlet letter, Pearl, and the rosebush next to the rusted prison door. The scarlet letter was a stigma worn by someone who had committed a sinful act many Puritan settlements. The Puritans believed that public humiliation ... after some time had passed it began to stand for "Able." From the very beginning, the readers could see the significance of the letter because of Hawthorne's description: " that SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It...

• Word Count: 843
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... 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 Dimmesdale, and also the Puritan society as a whole. Both Dimmesdale and ... because he felt guilty for his ancestors persecution of innocent people in the Salem Witch Trials. Decay and ugliness permeate the physical setting in The Scarlet Letter symbolizing the evil and sin in Puritan society that Hawthorn intends for us to see so that we regard the Puritan...

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

... act gross and brief, and brings loathing after it." This was said by St. Augustine, regarding immorality. This is discovered to be very true by the main characters in The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne's story of a woman (Hester) who lives with the Puritans and commits adultery with the local minister (Dimmesdale). In his novel, Hawthorne shows that sin, known or unknown to ... lines of dull red light" (Hawthorn). This is God's condemnation of the two sinners, most especially Dimmesdale. Hester has already been discovered and is receiving her punishment by wearing the scarlet lette...

• Word Count: 1118
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... strayed 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 ... trials that he felt compelled to change his last name, adding a "w" to change it from Hathorne to Hawthorne (Cerrito 165). Hawthorne's sensitivity to guilt is clearly present in the Scarlet...

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

... such as Pearl. But in The Crucible, the children are viewed as evil, the adults are treated as spiritual superiors, sort of vice versa form The Scarlet Letter. In The Crucible, the forest is seen as a place of mystery and evil. This shows that the author viewed this place as a place of evil, ... , Indians used to roam and practice their "magic" there. That view is not very different from Nathaniel Hawthorne's view on the forest in The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter does not see the forest in such a grim light as does The Crucible, but it does see the forest as a place where you expre...

• Word Count: 656
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... , in negative ways. Although the society, and many of the characters commit sins, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempts to convey the trail of thoughts that The Scarlet Letter is about Sinners; not sins. Though, the book is filled with wrong doings from hypocrisy, lying, betrayal and even adultery, the author tends to ... as the townspeople are. Hester was publicly shamed and forced by the people of Boston to wear a badge of humiliation (the scarlet letter), and when she lavishly decorated the letter "A" which she had to wear on her bosom, they degraded her even more for supposably embracing her s...

• Word Count: 699
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

... Hester Prynne, the young adultress, is punished for her sins by being forced to wear a bright red letter A on her chest at all times. It is a symbol of shame and disgrace. However, the Scarlet Letter raises the question of whether or not public humiliation is an appropriate and effective form of retribution for ... some are not certain that drunk driver's will learn from their mistakes, even if they are made public. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester was forced to live her life with a symbol of shame on her chest, although that symbol eventually took on other meanings. Hester sees the ... o...

• Word Count: 402
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... does not believe that nature will reflect his positive accomplishments when he dies. Dead foliage also helps to represent the mindset of Hester. When Hester took the scarlet letter and, "threw it to a distance," it landed "among the withered leaves" (152). At this point in the book, her sin was dying ... ready for new growth. Living and wild or withering and dead plant symbols help to describe the characters" states throughout the novel. The forest in The Scarlet Letter brings out a different side of each character. The forest is first seen in the book as a place of evil. Mistress Hibbin...

• Word Count: 1017
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, addresses sin in the book quiet frequently, this essay addresses how Hawthorne really thought about sin and it's aspects like punishment. The Scarlet Letter is a novel that deals with the theme of sin. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, ... based upon the severity of their crime. However, what many people overlook is the fact that in time, we all have committed sins. In The Scarlet Letter, the idea of sin and punishment is the main theme of the novel and how Hester Prynne, the main character, has b...

• Word Count: 802
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... story revolves around Hester, a bearer of the scarlet letter. She was condemned by the townspeople of execution for she committed adultery with an unknown man. Her husband Chillingworth, filled with anger, told the ... not, mother?" asked Pearl, stopping short. "Will it not come of its own accord, when I am a woman grown?" It is an explanation on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol and the bridge of the connection between sin and humanness. "Mother," said [Pearl], "was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?" "Hold thy ... of that iron period would have impose...

• Word Count: 720
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... accident. Some sins are committed out of love, like that of Hester and Dimmesdale in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. While others commit the sin of hate just like Chillingworth. Hester was forced to bear the letter "A" (adultery) as punishment for committing her sin and for salvation. On the other hand, I ... hate) in order to transform myself into a better person and to gain more knowledge of things that I wouldn't be able to see for myself without my Scarlet Letter. Hate is such a strong word, but it is also a strong sin. Hate means to have evil thoughts or thoughts of inf...

• Word Count: 675
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... women. The men could easily hide a secret affair as long as the women did not tell anyone. However, the women would have affairs, and be punished for life. In The Scarlet Letter Hester will not give the name of her lover, so she is the only one who is punished until Dimmesdale admits to his sin. Men also got away with drinking ... congregation was often staggering."" Even though it was wrong to drink, they did and went unpunished for their sin. Many sins were unforgivable, like the one Hester committed in The Scarlet Letter. Many people wanted her to be more severely punished even thoug...

• Word Count: 867
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

... , 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 given different ... has the punishment of hiding his guilt from the public. Hester became stronger from her punishment, but Dimmesdale becomes destructed from his sin. The Scarlet Letter portrays the idea that guilt is harsher and more destructive than public punishments. Hester is ...

• Word Count: 1309
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... society is too judgmental and it always has been. Even in the time Hawthorne wrote of in The Scarlet Letter and in "The Ministers Black Veil" people judged before they knew the truth. Objects were judged even though they had no relevance on what really happened. In " ... mission to show how superficial the people were. The ministers own fiancee left him because no one knew anything about the veil he wore. Again in The Scarlet Letter, I can think of two more major examples where an object was used as a sign or omen. The first is of course the ... letter, it meant evil, shame, and sin to...

• Word Count: 498
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... to the overall effect of the novel. In essence, this is a story of sin, punishment and the importance of certainty and truthfulness. One theme which plays a big role in "The Scarlet Letter" is sin, judgment and its consequence. An extreme sinner through the eyes of the Puritans is Hester Prynne because she has committed the sinful act of adultery. The effect of ... this sin is condemnation and sentenced to wear the scarlet letter "A" as a constant reminder for her sin. Hester does not cover up her sin in the novel, as a matter of fact she openly appreciates the ... elaborately designs ...

• Word Count: 778
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... a decision in life, big or small, people try to make the best choices. However, despite good intentions, people often make poor choices. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the story about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery and is filled with many feelings, including pride, surrounding that sin. ... to other wrong actions that reflect their guilt. Lack of insight leads people to make bad choices, and there are several examples in the book, The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth get married even though they knew it was not going to be a truthful love re...

• Word Count: 1002
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Nathaniel Hawthorne The extract from "The Scarlet Letter" gives a good view of what life in Salem was like and the way people act towards people's personal issues. The language used in the extract keeps the reader in captured ... . The treatment of sinners in this period of time was very poor. For example, Hester had committed adultery, and not just being punished by the law, she had to wear "a scarlet letter" to make sure the whole community knew her offence. People did not take kindly to offences like this. People felt that her sentence was too lenient. They punish her by ... . The to...

• Word Count: 755
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Throughout 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 place where such significant events occurred in her life because of the overall effect it had on shaping her identity. Hester even continues to wear the scarlet letter, no longer because of its negative connotation, but because it played such a prominent part in her life that she does not wish to eliminate. Free ... by the end, it represents something else entirely. Hester has complete o...

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

Stephanie Jensen "Sin and Its Engulfing Role in the Community" ~An Analytical Essay~ In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses significant themes and Puritan ideals, such as the concept of sin. In the first chapter, Hawthorne indicates that the colony set land ... glad it was not he or she. This closed-mindedness helped feed the hatred for Hester and the societies" need to identify her by describing her with the letter A. Hester is also a heroic figure because she accepts her sin. She is open about it, and she doesn't struggle for that fact that she is human ... and is susceptible...

• Word Count: 1128
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School