College: The Scarlet Letter and Pearl Essay

Submitted By Jaysandberg
Words: 763
Pages: 4

The Scarlet Letter: Free Read Novel The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel where people in society judge others based on sin and strange actions. One town reputation is destroyed instantly by the exposure of her mark of shame. The hand stitched scarlet “A” on Hester Prynne’s dress represents adultery. Hester is not only scorned by the community as being an adulterer, but is criticized for being a young mother. Hester’s god gifted talent in hand sewing, however creates opportunities for her to earn money and change as an individual. She is able to benefit from the money and support her sinful child Pearl. Her struggle to manage life as a single mother helps her mature into the ideal woman. The town folks are left to ponder the secret of who the real father of Pearl might be. This novel is highly recommend to a select group of readers who seek romantic drama and mysteries. Hester Prynne is infatuated with Doctor Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale who both tend to isolate her more within their town. Alienation is the main issue that Hester Prynne faces in The Scarlet Letter. She is released from prison and forced immediately to expose her dishonorable badge on the scaffold. The citizens of the town taunt her and made it evident that their town doesn’t want anything to do with her or her infant. Hester feels the sense of loneness since she only lives with her daughter Pearl. Hester and Pearl are isolated from the community for being unliked and different. Hester separates herself from human society as being known as the adulterer. Pearls abominable behaviors as a child shocked the towns people. Pearl constantly causes trouble by flinging stones at other children who gather to play with her. Throughout the book only a couple people approach Hester and Pearl. Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband, is the first to engage in a conversation. Doctor Chillingworth represents alienation as well. He appears one day in town and other citizens concluded that he studied in the medical field outside of Boston. No one knows exactly who he is except for Hester, however within weeks he becomes the towns personal doctor. Chillingworth alters how Hester acts in society. Hester changes and develops into a strong independent woman by the end of the novel. The letter “A” on her dress represents her whole life. She was only known as an adulterer. Hester felt miserable and looked down on herself, since she wasn’t accepted by the community. She isolated herself and became attach to Pearl knowing she was a special gift that she brought into the world. She was depressed from keeping secrets from Reverend Dimmesdale. As the years passed, Hester Prynne felt connect to the scarlet letter and refused to remove it from her dress. She became more comfortable in society and thought about her potential future. She involved