expressed in different ways. In The Scarlet Letter, the two main characters Dimmesdale and Hester demonstrate their own dealings with sin. As the two had earlier committed adultery, only Hester confessed her sin, whereas Dimmesdale kept it a secret.. This hidden sin caused Dimmesdale internal punishment, as he resorted to fasting, and whipping himself. In Mr. Dimmesdale’s closet, “there was a bloody scourge. Oftentimes. . .[Dimmesdale] plied it on his own shoulders. . . [it was also] his custom. . . to
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among the characters Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Hester is an outcast, but shows her light side by remaining kind to others, while her darkness shows as the sunlight cannot find her. In the novel, Hawthorne states, “It is our Hester, the town’s own Hester, who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted!” (149). She is outcast and hated by the citizens of Boston for
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Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale constantly battles between these two emotions throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. In the story, Dimmesdale struggles to manage the sin of adultery in his life, as the evil Roger Chillingworth, husband of Hester Prynne, impresses upon him. Hester must also deal with this sin, through the exhibition of a scarlet “A” on her bosom, as she struggles to raise Pearl, the child that she conceived through her sin with Dimmesdale. Both Dimmesdale and Hester struggle
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Hawthorne, tells the story of two lovers, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, that faces temptations, but in the end, deal with immense suffering. The novel validates the theme of “Sin Leading to a Better Understanding of Humanity” clearly through the actions of the main characters. Hester throughout the story experiences judgment from the town of Boston, Massachusetts for committing the sin of adultery and is forced to wear
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townspeople use to describe peal and this is why Pearl deserves more sympathy because she didn't ask to be a product of sin, she is both a blessing and curse and she has to live with a broken family. Pearl is a product of sin of Hester and Dimmesdale. Hester and Dimmesdale are both sinner but Hester is the only one that has to express her wrong doing to everyone by wearing a badge “A” for adultery. The towns people automatically make assumptions and judgements about pearl based on her mother's actions.
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Hawthorne had intentionally given the reader the choice to decide whether or not Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale were forgiven by God in The Scarlet Letter. From Evidence collected from instances in the book, God has unmistakably pardoned the pair. The act of adultery, one of the most vile crimes to possibly commit of this period, was carried out by both Prynne and Dimmesdale. Resulting in harassment and maltreatment towards Hester. Also bringing about her daughter Pearl, a witty young
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was boring, I learned that no matter how long you try to hide the truth it will always come back to haunt you. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses the symbols of light and dark to depict good and evil among the characters Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Hawthorne uses sunshine to represent both light and dark for Hester. At one time Hester suddenly takes her letter off, “All at once, with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst sunshine” (Hawthorne 186). When Hester
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Themes Women are stronger than men Dimmesdale, who has not been forced to bear a scarlet letter for his play in the sin, complains, “‘But as matters stand with my soul, whatever good capacity there originally was in me, all of God’s gifts that were the choicest have become the ministers of spiritual torment. Hester, I am most miserable!’” however it is ironic how Hester, who has felt with public embarrassment, does not complain, therefore women are stronger than men (Hawthorne, 187).
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bosom, the letter punishes her for committing adultery with the town reverend, Arthur Dimmesdale. The badge also intends to outcast her and her daughter, Pearl, from the Puritan society of Boston. Although the "A" originally acted as Hester's punishment, the interpretation of the scarlet letter varies for Dimmesdale and Pearl to juxtapose Hester's unwavering perspective. Besides Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale has the biggest personal
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signifies “Adultery”, “Able”, and “Angel”. Additionally, throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne suggests that the letter “A” signifies abandonment in that Hester abandons traditional Puritan society and her femininity, and she is abandoned by Dimmesdale when he reaches salvation and ultimately dies. When Hester commits adultery, she immediately abandons the strict Puritan ideals of the society that surrounds her. In this theocratic society, where “religion and law were almost identical,” a sin
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