is how shame based punishments work. When a criminal is publicly humiliated, they will change their ways to make sure they never have to face that again. These punishments seem like they are a great alternative to prison time, but in reality, they only isolate the offender. Plus, in today’s society social media unpredictably exaggerates the punishments, leaving the criminal to the mercy of the web. One of these shame based punishments takes place in the book The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
life in the blink of an eye." as unraveled in The Scarlet Letter, Hester Pryne's sinful adultery effected her life from that moment in time until the moment that she died. Governor Bellingham along with the townspeople eschewed Hester for her mistake, going against their Puritan beliefs and the bible. the whole town stopped at nothing to be little Hester. Although they believed themselves to be abiding by the teachings of the bible, their punishment for Hester was in no way biblical. if the Puritans
forms of punishments have been used regardless of how they might affect the person. Many times, when someone tries to help another person, they end up making it worse rather than truly help them. In the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne demonstrates the unknown consequences to such punishments. The scarlet letter’s effect on Hester was not positive, this form of public punishment negatively affected not only her view of herself but also her emotional and mental state. The scarlet letter branded
The Scarlet Letter unifying the letter “A” as a symbol Hester Prynne wears the scarlet letter “A” to signify that she has committed the sin adultery. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the scarlet letter is unifying symbol that ties characters and events together. First, Hester and Dimmesdale both have a scarlet letter. Second, Pearl is a symbol of the scarlet letter. Lastly, the scarlet letter defines who Hester is as a person and her existence. As shown above, the scarlet letter is
Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne has develop her strength through hardship which is put on her by the scarlet letter. In the story, Hester, the main character is forced to wear a scarlet letter representing the sin of adultery as a
In the Nathaniel’s Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter we see a hierarchy of sins. Roger Chillingworth’s pursuit of revenge is considered a "worse sin" than the passion that led Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale to commit adultery. All the characters recognize that sin will be punished, if not on earth immediately, than by God after death. The puritans believed many sins were punishable by death. Hester is spared execution because the Puritans of Boston decided it would benefit the community to transform
Making someone a public outcast as a form of punishment can bring many negative consequences for him/her. In the novel the “Scarlet Letter”, Hester was treated differently and was unwelcomed by the public because of her scarlet letter. Also, in the article “Concerns Raised On “Scarlet Letter” For Drunk Drivers,” people could be targeted by police and others if everyone knew what they had done. In “Companies ‘Named And Shamed’ For Bad Behavior,” the author explains how newspapers are trying to shame
Sin and Rebirth Everything that happens has cause and effect. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, it talks about Hester Prynne’s story, who commits to adultery in a Puritan society and transform herself. She wears a scarlet letter “A”, which stands for adultery, for rest of her life as the punishment of adultery. She learns from the letter, and eventually the meaning of the scarlet “A” changes to able. However, her sin influences her in multiple ways. She bears humiliation, feels
Throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, the two main symbols, Hester and the scarlet “A”, change profoundly. As a recurring symbol, the “A” first represents the reality of sin, and more specifically, Hester’s sinful act of adultery. Despite this, the letter eventually transforms into other ideas, such as power, courage, and adept, contrasting against the first meaning of the scarlet “A”. The letter also relates to Hester’s daughter, Pearl, various times throughout the novel
The Scarlet Letter In the Scarlet Letter, there are many different symbols that are all important. Throughout the story, some of the symbols are more pronounced and obvious while others are hidden throughout the novel. One of the most obvious symbols is the Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter stands for adulterer in the puritan belief system. Hester Prynne, who had an affair with another man, had to wear a scarlet letter “A” for the rest of her life as a punishment. This was to publicly