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Hester Prynne Transformation

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In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne develops the characterization of Hester Prynne, through his use of rhetorical strategies, in order to make a statement on his negative view of Puritan society. By establishing the transformation of Hester’s character as she deals with the guilt and public shame forced upon her for her sin, he depicts her being corrupted by Puritan society, demonstrating his pessimistic view of them. He successfully contrasts Hester with the other Puritan women along with her changed character when dealing with shame, in order to display the detrimental effects her public shame has on her. He continues by analyzing the letter as a direct symbol of Puritanism and describing the grave effect it, being society, …show more content…

The introduction of Hester’s virtuous character filled with goodness and beauty becomes corrupted over time by the scarlet letter, completely changing her. After seven years of punishment, “all the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand...leaving a bare and harsh outline”(Hawthorne 142). Hawthorne figuratively describing the effect of the letter on Hester, the image of the “foliage” of her character being “withered up” by the letter connotes the detrimental consequences involving Hester’s character by the strong view of it being withered away or shriveled as of a plant. This is effective because he is able to convey the significant disintegration the letter causes as well as dramatizes the momentous effects of public shame on a person. This is significant because it directly reveals Hawthorns perspective of his disgust with Puritan society by displaying its grave effects on Hester. The Puritans directly put the harsh punishment of the scarlet letter on her, and therefore were the sole cause of her detriment. Upon later removing her cap and letter, Hester once again becomes the radiant symbol of beauty from before. As if in accordance with this, the “sunshine [pours] a very flood into the obscure forest...a mystery of joy” (Hawthorne 177). Hawthorne creates images of the the sunshine appearing over the dark forest when Hester’s symbol of shame is removed, establishing a beautiful and happy mood. The change in mood caused by the visual appeal again dramatizes the effect the shame had on Hester and her radiance and beauty without it. This further reveals the true character of Hester, previously revealed as angelic and

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