Similarities Between Hawthorne And Frederick Douglass

Freedom is a prevalent theme in both The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass. Both pieces of work explore the concept of freedom through the lens of the protagonists, Hester Prynne and Frederick Douglass. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Frederick Douglass were two prominent figures in American Literature, and they both lived in the same time period. Despite their different backgrounds and experiences, both writers made significant contibutions to the literary canon and helped shape the literary landscape of their time. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. He was a descendant of Puritan settlers and grew up in a strict religious environment. Hawthorne’s

He escaped to freedom in 1838 and became a leading abolitionist and advocate for civil rights. Douglass’ writing focused on the experiences of African Americans, particularly those who were enslaved. Douglass’ writing style was characterized by its clarity in directness, which he used to convey the harsh realities of slavery and the need for change. In the article Racially Integrated Education: The Antebellum Thought of Mary Ann Shadd Cary and Frederick Douglass, Conaway states, “Like other black leaders, he believed that education was the linchpin of racial uplift and equality” (Conaway 91). Frederick Douglass believed that if he learned how to read and write, he would be able to have freedom of equality. He wanted to show the other enslaved people that if you work hard you will gain

The letter is a symbol of her sin and marks her as an outcast in the Puritan community. Despite this, Hester is able to find a sense of freedom within herself. In the article, Social Freedom and Commitment, Welch says, “Thus I understand social freedom to be the freedom to choose and act with and through other members of the community and to partake in the construction of the values, norms, and institutions of that community that shape one’s own daily life” (Welch 119). Welch is talking about how the community can shape someone’s everyday life. In the novel, Hester does not want to hear what her community has to say, and wants to only listen to herself. 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!” (Hawthorne 156). Hester took off the scarlet letter she sighed deeply to show that she is finally free. Through her actions, Hester demonstrates that true freedom comes from within and cannot be taken away by external