Her "moral agony" (Bloom 34), is her guilt that is slowly surfacing while she faces the crowd realizing that she has been stripped of her pride and everything that was important to her in the past. The lasting effect of Hester's sin is the guilt that she now embodies due to her giving in to temptation and committing adultery. The guilt that is associated with Hester's sin remains with her as an everlasting reminder of her sinful actions (Bloom 34). Guilt is a consequence of sin that Hester has to endure throughout her life. Hester's guilt begins to have a profound effect on her life and her way of viewing the world in which she is now entrapped. .
Hester's guilt has become very influential in her life making her unable to express herself freely. "Hester Prynne might have repaid them all with a bitter and disdainful smile. But under the leaden infliction which it was her doom to endure, she felt at moments as if she must needs (to) shriek" (Hawthorne 52-53). Hester's guilt has surfaced fully because when she wants to simply express herself she is prevented from doing so due to her guilty conscience. She wants to take revenge on everyone that has passed judgment on her by giving them a "disdainful smile" (Hawthorne 53), but she is fearful that she might start feeling guilty for doing such a thing. "The crowd was somber and grave" (Hawthorne 52). Hester can't lash out against the crowd and express her anger because she will feel horrible. What can Hester do now? "She behaves as a sister of mercy in the community because this is the way to live unmolested not because she believes in doing good" (Baym 36). Hester is forced to act with good intentions towards others making it seem like she is not influenced by their opinions. She does this just to avoid confrontations, so she can live her life peacefully as it is already hectic enough (Baym 36). It seems Hester can live without any consequences of sin if she is able to suppress her anger, but as a result it seems that she is actually being slowly isolated from the world (Carton 102).
As in life, the influence of family members often has long lasting effects on Faulkner's characters. ... This sickening behavior is a direct result of the sins of her father. She was stifled by him and his unending strength for her entire life; now, she is in control of him. ...
She then directs it either to the spirit world, a hazy analog of earthly life where there is an unending supply of buffalo and where people rejoin their kin, or back to earth. ... Interestingly, the Native Americans did not have a concept of individual sin and salvation. ... By examining the effects of peyote along with its role in the rituals and beliefs of the Native American Church it becomes apparent why it is such an integral part of the religion. ... (Aberle,5) Containing eight different alkaloids, the most important being mescaline, peyote causes a number of effects. ...
She then directs it either to the spirit world, a hazy analog of earthly life where there is an unending supply of buffalo and where people rejoin their kin, or back to earth. ... Interestingly, the Native Americans did not have a concept of individual sin and salvation. ... By examining the effects of peyote along with its role in the rituals and beliefs of the Native American Church it becomes apparent why it is such an integral part of the religion. ... (Aberle,5) Containing eight different alkaloids, the most important being mescaline, peyote causes a number of effects. ...
