How Does Hester Prynne Change In The Scarlet Letter

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Mitch Lamers
2nd Hour
Mrs. Bast
5/7/16

Analytical Paragraph

Hester changes three different times, from being a shamed woman to a capable woman and then to a healer.
Hester Prynne emerges from the prison, proud and beautiful wearing an elaborately embroidered scarlet letter A on her chest and carrying a three month old baby. While she is standing on the scaffold she becomes aware of the stern faces looking up at her. Hester painfully realizes her present position of shame and punishment. Society will not show mercy for the Adultery she had committed which was extremely frowned on in those times. Most of the older women think her punishment should be much worse
One of them even says "At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot …show more content…

Not only does Hester change mentally, but she also changes physically. Her happy and loving characters which she once had appeared to have been replaced by coldness, guilt and shame. She hiders her hair and has no enthusiasm. Hester only demonstrates warmth and charm around Pearl. Society also begins to view her differently. People think that she can see their sins. People don’t look down on her as much as they did before, because she is changing. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. 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." (Hawthorne 139). She is now starting to change again this time for the better. She is going through multiple emotions and at one point considers suicide. But all these feelings make her stronger and smarter in the long run. Hester learns from her sin, and she grows strong as a result