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Changeling In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

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The Scarlet Changeling One of the base human principles that have followed us through time and insured our survival is the ability to adapt and change to best suit our current needs. In “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The main things that bring about Hester Prynne’s acceptance of the Letter are her reflection, self realization, and adaptation to survive and thrive in her ignorant troubled world. As she reflects on what the Letter has done in her life she realizes that she should not be suppressed by the Letter that it should be the factor in what makes her unique and as she empowers herself she changed in ways that redefine her current and future self from her past self. And not only does Hester’s Letter affect every aspect her it, but it forces her to reflect on how it has affected her. Hesters point of view of the Scarlet Letter forces her to reflect upon what effect it has had upon her life since she acquired the Letter. Her reflection leads her to the conclusion that the Letter has given her a new set of challenges in which she can prove herself. As …show more content…

Pearl is allowed to finally meet her father, but it is not the situation Hester wanted as it is in front of the towns masses.”dear little pearl...tho kiss me now”(162). That could possibly be detrimental to their relationship. And as an ending to the tale of Hester Prynne she returns to the cottage by the sea as a final act of acceptance.”her hesitation was only for a second but long enough to display a scarlet letter on her breast and Hester prynne had returned ”(165) showing that the letter has given her a life far greater than she would of had if she had been an ideal citizen. And thus Hester’s reflection realization and change saved herself from the Scarlet

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Based on the first few chapters I read The Scarlet Letter is a novel about becoming a better person. Throughout the novel Hester tries saving her daughter and proves those who didn’t believe she could raise her child, even with all the humiliation she was receiving It’s all about those who have the opportunity of getting a second chance and choose to use it wisely. The Scarlet Letter gives a life lesson, but Hawthorne uses symbolism to describe

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859 Words | 4 Pages

She continues to hold onto her regrets; however, her personality flourishes. Hawthorne portrays Hester as a strong individual, who even alters the stigma surrounding her. The women of the town eventually see her positive attitude, and they begin to interpret the scarlet letter differently: “Such helpfulness was found in her, - so much power to do, and power to sympathize, - that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (151). Their interpretation of the letter shifts, and although Hester becomes an outcast of the community, she embraces her sin and learns to live with it.

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Michael Crichton Michael Crichton is highly important in the history of our literature. He wrote fantastic books and stories in his lifetime. In all he wrote and published 22 different books. He wrote some of the most famous stories and produced the iconic TV series “ER”.

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A Role Model that Transcends Time Hester Prynne changed dramatically throughout the course of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter. Initially she was viewed as the antagonist and was a destructive character to those around her. After being confined in her cottage with Pearl, she began to develop a sense of who she needed to become in order to efficiently raise Pearl. Hester’s ability to do what was necessary for her improvement made her into a respectable role model for women to shadow. Hester chose to isolate she and Pearl to create a wave of self-improvement. Because of Hester’s mysterious, seductive, and rebellious actions, she demonstrated the characteristics of a byronic hero.

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700 Words | 3 Pages

Hester’s adulterous affair affected her life and image, it put her in isolation and led to shame and guilt. Although the scarlet letter bears remorse, throughout the novel Hester’s changes from a negative and unholy ego to a positive and favorable ego due to her actions. As Hester Prynne is faced with critisism and judgement, she continues to stay strong which eventually leads to people interpreting her scarlet letter “A” from “adultery” to “Able”. The change in Hester Prynne’s character exhibits that although some people may never stop their pessimistic critisism, we can overcome our sins with a strong relationship with God and a growth mindset, as Hester does. Hester Prynne’s actions demonstrate that sin is natural and should only be judged by

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Hester Prynne refuses to be defined by her sin and instead chooses to embrace her identity as an individual. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne says, “The past is gone! Wherever should we linger now? See! With this symbol, I undo it all, and make it as it had never been!”

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530 Words | 3 Pages

The Scarlet Letter opens with Hester Prynne, a young woman who has committed adultery and is being punished. She is shown to be a proud, confident woman but is quickly forced to mature under the burden of public humiliation. Hester becomes an unhappy and bitter woman, her mind and body hardened by the stress of her punishment and her inability to forgive herself and move on. Throughout the story, she struggles to come to terms with what she has done and only when she finally does, can she return to her former happy, unburdened self and regain her former beauty. At the start of the novel, Hester has just received her sentencing for her crime of adultery.

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941 Words | 4 Pages

Her defiance becomes stronger and will carry her through different hardships. Her determination and lonely stand repeats again when she confronts Governor Bellingham over the issue of Pearl’s guardianship. When Bellingham wants to take Pearl away from Hester, Hester reply’s with, “God gave me the child! I will die first!”(Ch.). When also pressured even more for the child’s care, Hester pleads, “God gave her into my keeping.

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Everyone in the community saw Hester at her weakest point, therefore her character and abilities could only grow from there. The power of the Scarlet Letter has provided Hester with a new found freedom for

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The interpretation of the letter eventually shifts to Able, after the community recognizes her endeavors. Hester acknowledges and addresses her sin which sparks a change in meaning of the scarlet letter that contributes to the themes of honesty and forgiveness. Hester most notably displays honesty when she embraces her sin and makes an attempt at salvation. In the first scaffold scene, the narrator illustrates Hester and her letter while she stands ignominiously, specifically indicating that the scarlet letter removes her from “ordinary relations with humanity” (Hawthorne 81). The citizens of Massachusetts Bay abash Hester for her wrongdoings, leading to an estrangement between the two; however, the stigma that Hester carries will not

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1579 Words | 7 Pages

she named the infant ‘Pearl,’ as being of great price—purchased with all she had—her mother’s only treasure!” Pearl also experiences loneliness which she deals with by generating enemies into her head and also becoming extremely close to her mother. Pearl later on the chapter does something which causes Hester distress. “‘Thy Heavenly Father sent thee!’ answered Hester Prynne. But she said it with a hesitation that did not escape the acuteness of the child.

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647 Words | 3 Pages

Imagine being publicly humiliated for a sin that society believes to be unacceptable. Hester Prynn has to live this harsh life as a reality. Getting shamed on a daily basis. Hawthorn shows in The Scarlet Letter that embracing individuality in the face of society’s push to conform is the true freedom in life through Hester, the symbolism of pearl, and the setting of the scaffold. What society thinks about Hester only makes her stronger than she already is.

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1142 Words | 5 Pages

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was published in 1850. It focuses on the life of the main protagonist, Hester Prynne, living in a Puritan community. Both Yamin Wang and Maria Stromberg offer insight into The Scarlet Letter and analyze multiple aspects of the story.. Both Wang and Stromberg claim that there is an underlying ideology hidden in the texts of the book. Wang approaches the story from a feminist approach and states that Hester represents the feminism in the Puritan community, and she analyzes the Puritan’s outlook on women in their society.

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980 Words | 4 Pages

Lesson 3 Writing Assignment: Literary Analysis Two Characters: Two Ways of Thinking. Mathilde, from "The Necklace" and Della, from "The Gift of the Magi" might have many characterisitics in common, as well as they might have committed acts for resembling causes. While one of them was obsessed by money, the other just wanted one to have a better life, showing love for her family and living. They have many similar aspects, as well as they have many different ones.

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Receiving the scarlet letter changed every aspect of Hester’s life. Especially at the start of the story, the letter symbolized the solitude and great suffering Hester faced just because of a letter placed on her bosom. The “A” also depicted how no one viewed Hester the same way as before her peccant actions. “…she saw that, owing to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance” (Hawthorne 109). The pejorative community Hester lived in never saw Hester as the beautiful, young woman she was, but now, as a horrible fiend.

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