Rhetorical Elements In Scarlet Letter

I think that Hawthrone’s account of the Puritan’s harsh religious ways in his book, The Scarlet Letter, was not just an observation but a critique of their beliefs. The Scarlet Letter, in a New England town, points outs many ways where woman are treated in the Puritan society and the way their earthly sins were extremely punished. In Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” the narrator has a negative attitude toward Puritan America beacuse of the diction chosen to describe Hester’s torment on top of the Scaffold, the way the towns people treat Pearl, and the way they treat Hester. In the Scarlet Letter the narrator talks about Adultry in a negative way because of the symbolism used in the scaffold. Hawthorne tone he uses reveales what his true feelings

“Unveiling at once the lack of understanding they had. Finding out about Hester and Pearl, the village at once "scorned them in their hearts, and...reviled them with their tongues" The tone that is used allows us to infer from the harsh words that he has a negative attitude toward the Puritans. Hawthorne’s negativity toward the Puritans is shown in the tone he talks about Hester. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester is portrayed as a rose in the thorns because she tries to keep the Puritan lifestyle and persistently prays for her enemies. Hawthorne continues to applaud Hester for her lifestyle she is trying to live eventhough it was the Puritans that made her go through a life of embarresment and suffering. "Except for that small expenditure in the decoration of her infant, Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, and who not infrequently insulted the hand that fed them.” Hawthorne praises her further here and disapproves of the Puritan society because they can’t see Hester’s true personality and

He shows how in the Puitan community the leaders are respected and people listen to them. This is why Hawthorne condemns them, because they are hypocritical leaders that are harsh and uses intolerant treatment; especially with Hester. Hester does not deserve the treatment she receives, and this is very clear to the reader. She tries to repay her community by giving clothes to the homeless and making garments for them but no one accepts her for what she did. These are the reasons Hawthorne shows negativity toward the Puritan society because of the way the punish Hester, and the way the treat Hester and