Erin Seenauth
AP English Language and Composition
6 April 2014
The world is composed of various people, and their different ways of life. These deviant people have different mentalities, morals and guides to live by- some of these, are stricter than others. A strict bunch being the Puritans in early America. They were disciplinary against those who acted out, or portrayed a persona that might be considered offensive to God. This was a time period of very superstitious and paranoid people, they considered evil to be lurking around every nook and cranny. Thus, making them very susceptible to go through extreme measures for their own protection- to ensure that they wouldn't go to Hell, or be possessed by witches or demons, which were common accusations at the time. Due to their strict life style, punishments were usually more severe than deemed necessary, as noted in "The Scarlet Letter," written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The change in centuries definitely changes the way societies consider Hester's predicament. People of the 17th century Puritan society were repulsed by her indecency, while those of a modern time wouldn't see the problem- especially since she presumed her husband to be dead. This narrow-mindedness has led to a lot of controversy, whether Puritans had proper methods of living, or if they went overboard and began stifling their people. The Earth is permeated with despicable, malevolent creatures and people, who will suffer eternally, if they do not conform to the ways of "the saved". Everything a person does is through their faith. Who are we to blame them? Especially since they are just trying to suppress and protect themselves from the ever present vile that pounces and clings to anyone or thing that releases even a Seenauth 2 hint of doubt of their belief. The people of the Puritan societies were required to be strong enough to be able to resist the temptations of the evil that surrounded them- and not all evil could be seen, which is what made them even more frightening. Invisible hands, or beings were the cause and birth of superstition and the Puritans were constantly looking over their shoulders for the Devil, and the invisible dark angels ("Wonders of the Invisible World; Mather"). People are afraid of the unknown, and so the constant paranoia that the Puritans faced, caused them to be strict to make sure they had control of their lives. "Wherefore the devil is now making one attempt more upon us; an attempt more difficult; more surprising, more snarled with unintelligible circumstances than any that we have hitherto encountered" ("Wonders of the Invisible World"). Every time they show their strength and loyalty to their deity, the devil is enraged, and tries harder and harder, time and time again, to bring the people down. He will get creative, and attempt different tactics - anything to succeed in destroying them. This quality of persisting strength is evident in the character of Hester Prynne, in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, "The Scarlet Letter." Hester refuses to flee the Puritan village that she was shunned from. Instead of taking the easy way out, and giving into temptations, Hester resisted and endured the hardships- knowing that the snobbish, rude women and children despised her, and would go out of their way to patronize her, just as the devil did. On the other hand, it could be argued that the Puritan's strict ways were too stifling. They lived strictly to please God, but perhaps they were so strict and immobile, that their good intention began to appear malevolent. "Art, literature, the drama, the privacy of the mails, in fact, our most intimate tastes are at the mercy of this inexorable tyrant. Books dealing with the most vital issues of our lives, and seeking to shed light upon dangerously obscured problems, are legally treated as criminal offenses, and their helpless authors thrown into prison or driven to
