The Scarlet Letter Essay

The Scarlet Letter
By: Hank Donaldson

Public ridicule, constant persecution, imprisonment, outcast from society. Sounds like religious persecution that people experience in a third world country, right? True, but it is also actually what Hester Pryne from The Scarlet Letter faces for committing adultery in 17th century America. In our time of political correctness and understanding of almost anything, it is hard to imagine these atrocities were committed on American soil by our ancestors. The hardships that she, a young, lonely mother, faced would drive many to insanity and chronic depression, but her strong will, determination, and unending persistence helped pull her through and overcome these obstacles.

Society needs, practically craves, a scapegoat to place all of the blame in a sour situation on something, or somebody. As long as the blame is deflected off our own shoulders, and we continue to appear to look good and retain our reputation, who cares what happens to the scapegoat? This is exactly a theme Hawthorne illustrates with the Puritan's actions against Hester. While Hester is on the scaffold, enduring the stares and comments of hundreds of her peers, many of whom acting as if they themselves have never sinned, even though there were surely other adulterers in the crowd, all she can do and does is suffer through this public humiliation. Parents begin to use Hester as an example to their children of a sinner, and children begin to avoid Hester and her baby daughter, Pearl, and even resort to throwing mud, rocks, and insulting them as they try to lead as normal a life as possible. The Puritans looked down upon adultery because it was denounced in the Bible and looked upon as a sin, but little did they know they had skipped over several key passages in the Bible condemning judging others and not forgiving them, such as two popular verses in Matthew. "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." -Matthew 6:14-15. The Puritans were experts at judging, but needed to re-read Matthew to find that they, too, were also sinning in the midst of their good intentions. Had they known this, Hester would not have had to use her inspiring characteristics and demeanor nearly as much as she had to.

Hester faces continuing strife, but also joy, from the site and actions of her daughter, Pearl. Hester has to raise Pearl by her self, uncommon in that time, but also without the help of friends, family, or neighbors, making her situation almost unheard of. Nobody wants to help a sinner like Hester, and especially have nothing to do with her "demon child" or "elf-child" Pearl. She raises Pearl on a meager salary in a harsh and hostile environment. In the midst of her sacrifice, Pearl is almost taken away by the leaders in the town because of Hester's old sins. Hester brilliantly defends herself and stands up to these important men, crying, "She is my happiness!-she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!" and later in her pleading adds, "Ye shall not take her! I will die first!" Hester remarkably shows her resolve to keep the child and also explains Pearl is like the scarlet letter in a way, constantly torturing her but she would have nothing else. She loves Pearl to death and tries to protect her from the antics of the society and give her the best life she could possibly give under the circumstances. Being thrown out of society and left to fend for herself and her child, Hester exhibits qualities that we can all learn from, especially commitment to those we love, fighting society's injustices, and the amazing maturity to keep her grounded and from not going completely berserk.

Criminals are commonly caught because of "snitches" and backstabbers. The thought that the Puritans believed Hester would turn against her life's love and expose him astounds me. Common sense dictates that the requirements for true love does not include betrayal. Hester constantly faces questioning from the Puritans, her daughter Pearl, and her estranged and evil husband, Roger Chillingworth. While on the scaffold, listening to repetitive speeches from ministers and the governor about how God hated her sin and her actions were wrong, she is told she will be able to be forgiven of her sin if she reveals the father and that she will not have to wear the scarlet letter on her breast for the remainder of her life. The father of Pearl, unknowingly to the Puritans, makes a grand speech about her sin, knowing that he too had sinned with her. Hester's love of Dimmesdale never falters in the seven years she does not speak with Dimmesdale, and also for all the pain she suffers alone without the rest of the guilty party, Dimmesdale, by her side to help her and comfort her through. When her twisted husband, Chillingworth, asks her who the father is so he may seek revenge, Hester firmly, "Ask me not! That thou shalt never know!" Undaunted by this, Chillingworth spends all of his time and energy devoted to finding the father, while Hester also spends great amounts of time and energy covering for the father and not once regretting it.

Through the character of Hester, Hawthorne teaches all that read The Scarlet Letter the qualities essential to living a life, through all amounts of pain and hardship. It is a sad thing to think that Christians inflicted all of this on another Christian. Humans are not perfect and will sin and make mistakes, as Hester did, but also as every other Puritan did. The determination Hester exhibits that she uses to overcome the never ending ridicule is awe-inspiring. She teaches us to not let others bring us down and to keep on chugging through life and try to enjoy it as much as possible. Her qualities she keeps about her throughout her life help change the meaning of the letter A from Adulterer, to Able, and finally to Angel.