Wednesday, November 27, 2019

JP Hayes Essays (623 words) - Film, Cinema Of The United States

JP Hayes Mr. Bevington English 11 F 9 November 2017 Hester Prynne In the Novel The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne a younger woman named Hester Prynne is sent to live in Massachusetts while her husband Roger Chillingworth works in England but plans to meet her in a few years. The story takes place in 1642 during the time of the Puritans in America who were a very strict religious group. Hester's husband Roger does not make it to the new world in time as he said and so Hester presumes he his dead. Soon after Hester has a baby with Reverend Dimmesdale who is known as the holiest person in the puritan town. Hester is publicly shammed, thrown in jail, and forced to wear an "A" on her chest for her sin but she will not release the name of the father with good intentions. Throughout the story Hester is able to change herself plus the town's view of her for the better and she creates a new meaning for her punishment. In the beginning of the story when Hester is walking out of prison with Pearl all the people in the town turn to look and judge her. Normally negative attention would cause a person embarrassment or sadness but it is seen right away by the way Hester responds to everyone that she is neither. "In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbors"(Hawthorne 80). The reader can tell from the authors use of haughty that Pearl did not feel like she was being looked down upon when she came out of the prison. Hester was already living without her husband but now she is put to the real test by taking care of a baby and dealing with the criticism from the towns people. For awhile when Hester and Pearl walk through the town everyone gives them mean looks and makes sure they kn ow that they are outcasts. As time passes Hester chooses to help the poor although she is not very wealthy herself. Hester's talent of being a seamstress has supported her and Pearl and even gained her some respect in the town. Hester charitable work with the poor has gained her a lot of respect in the town, "Do you see that woman with the embroidered badge? they would say to strangers. It is our Hester, the town's own Hester, who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted"(Hawthorne 140). It is clear that Hester has changed the entire meaning of the Scarlet Letter and it is now viewed as a positive feature on her. Instead of standing for adultery the "A" now stands for able because Hester is able to do so many good deeds. In the beginning the town believed Hester's punishment would destroy her life and possibly cause her to run away due to the judgement from the town's people. Instead Hester made the punishment seem like the best thing that ever happen to her. The scarlet letter allowed Hester to changes how she views people and herself. She became a stronger and more independent woman who showed she can support a kid on her own while also taking so much hate. Most importantly Hester was able to change how the entire town looks at her from bad to good. Now when she walks through the town people don't despise her but instead they look up to her like an idol.

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