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Contrasting Hester And Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

368 Words2 Pages
This passage further enhances the theme of The Scarlet Letter, which is the importance of staying true to yourself, no matter what society thinks- to not hide your worst qualities so that you may live your life in the open, and so that you can be free of secrets and lies. The passage does this effectively, using a compare and contrast structure*, by contrasting Hester and Dimmesdale- Hester, who has lived her life in the open, not held back by society and its regulations, and Dimmesdale, who has kept his affair a secret, therefore remaining in the firm grip of society’s regulations. Hawthorne’s characterization of these two characters, both in this passage and throughout the book, is vital to this theme. Hester is characterized as a free person;
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