Aimee's Blog

The controversial book “The Scarlet Letter” continues as Pearl reaches her childhood. Hester slowly builds her reputation from rock bottom over the next seven years of Pearl’s childhood. And as she begins to redeem her actions of adultery with acts of selflessness, like making clothes for the poor, Arthur Dimmesale, the town minister has a positive reputation and continues to improve over the next few years as well. Arthur Dimmesdale was the unknown father of Pearl and was internally broken by this secret he kept. While Hester was freed from hiding but was publicly shunned, Dimmesdale was absolutely adored but eaten by the same wrong doings.  Dimmesale became so ill from his guilt he had the town doctor live with him to look after him. This doctor was none other than Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband who was presumably dead. He came into the town with this false identity in order to find who was Pearl’s father. After speculating that it was Dimmesdale, he was able to get into...

As the mysterious novel “The Scarlet Letter” progresses, so does Pearl, Hester’s baby that proved she was committing adultery. Pearl is a physical representation of her mistake, Hester did not need a scarlet letter as a daily reminder of what she has done, she just needs to take a look at Pearl. But Hester does not necessarily view the scarlet letter in the same light as Pearl, I believe Hester views the letter as a symbol someone tried (and failed) to brand her with to make her feel disconnected from society. Pearl was her prized possession, like a pearl, she was the center of the little cottage in which they lived. Hester tended to dress pearl up similarly to the scarlet letter, while many took it as Hester depicting her regret towards her actions, I believe Hester did it as an act of rebellion. Many tried shunning and pushing her away, this only made Hester ignore her outside world all the more and focused on her and Pearl. Being able to close away from outside opinions transcended ...

Besides the main idea of the book being how Hester reacts to the villagers’ hate, does the theme of the book revolve around the act itself or how the villagers react to the sin committed? I believe the book is something that is ahead of its time, in many ways. Yes, Hester Prynne committed adultery, but her neighbors had her sew a bold scarlet “A” on the chest of her dress to remind her of her mistake. The topic of “slut shaming” has been a constant problem with females in this day and age. Women are looked down upon for these types of things. Granted, cheating is not excusable, but I disagree with double standard that has been created for men. The male cheater was not in so much penalty as Hester, who was shunned publicly. Although, their audience does not know who the father is, he has an advantage from not having to be coidis since he does not have to carry the child for 9 months. Women have a biological necessity to the world and are being punished in this book because their actio...

In “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main character, Hester Prynne, is introduced, leaving the prison doors due to an act of adultery. Everyone in the town is gossiping of her sinful actions, but she leaves her prison confident and radiating with pride. She wears her scarlet letter on her chest boldly, almost accentuating her reckless spirit. This sign that represents her committing adultery is the first sign of rebellion and feminism of the 19th century. It is however not the the symbol itself, but in the way she carries herself with such a negative connotation on her chest. To be able to have something drag her down and still be considered beautiful by her townspeople, “and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and rich of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes.” The idea that confidence is beautiful, no matter what her neighbors say they cannot make her feel less than she is. She is a feminist fig...