Sin In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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As long as there has been man, there has been sin. All religions may vary in core beliefs, but they share a commonality—a moral system of right and wrong as judged by either a spirit or a higher power. The immoral acts committed by people is defined as sin, and sin affects every individual in an aspect unique to themselves based on their own moral code. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter explores the importance of the effects of sin on the human psyche. The specific sinful act is not significant alone; the significance of sin lies within the morality of the person and the ways the person deals with their own actions. One of the most prevalent examples of the psychological effects of sin lies within Reverend Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale’s own sin of adultery led him to transform from a proud, Puritan man to a tortured soul stuck in a cycle of despair and harm. When the reader first meets Dimmesdale, he is described as “a true priest, a true …show more content…
When Hester and Dimmesdale discussed the aftermath of their actions, she said, “What we did had a consecration of its own” (345). Traditionally, “consecration” is used to declare something sacred. With her words, Hester tried to convince Dimmesdale to believe the same thing she did—their connection was not sinful because it had a real, deep meaning to the both of them. In traditional Puritan society, sin was regarded as very plain, black and white, and definite. In Hester’s mind, contrastingly, sin was very complex, gray, and fluid; a sinful act couldn’t be sinful if it was committed with a purpose or a reason. She changed her belief system to reflect her actions, so she wouldn't feel as ashamed and humiliated as those before her who donned the same scarlet “A”. She changed her morals to protect

Sins In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Sins have been the basis of strife since the dawn of time, and it is no different in this classic novel set in the seventeenth century Puritan society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, two of the main characters, Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale state different opinions on whether sin should be revealed or hidden, which leads to conflict; Chillingworth says that one would be better off to confess his sin, while Dimmesdale believes that you will only be able to do good…

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Sin In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

recognize sin in other people, Nathaniel Hawthorne exposes the hypocrisy found in Puritan society. After Hester is released from prison, she is publicly regarded as the living embodiment of sin and is outcasted from the rest of her community. Hester essentially serves as a cautionary tale for the consequences of violating Puritan law. Despite the fact that the scarlet letter characterizes her as the personification of immorality, she could not help but believe “that the scarlet letter had endowed…

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A Comparison Of Pureness And Sin In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s rather gloomy diction and description of Pearl’s comment reminds Hester of the burden she carries and evidently points out the scarlet letter on her bosom. The lack of sunshine at Hester’s touch illustrates a comparison of her actions and the response of nature. The sunshine stays and surrounds Pearl, who is clean and pure of sin, in a “magic circle” and acts as her “playmate” but hides once Hester, who has committed a mortal sin, tries to “catch the sunshine”. The vivid imagery…

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What Does Red Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

reader better. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to compel the reader to compare his own life to the book. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts during the period of the Salem witch trials. Because of his grandfather and father taking part in these trials Hawthorne grew up realizing the sinful nature of man. Hawthorne uses symbolic objects and colors to show different…

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Scarlet Letter Essay

A simple letter of the alphabet transforms into a symbol of sin, shame, and identity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter. In the Scarlet letter, as a punishment for the crime of adultery, Hester becomes forced to wear the scarlet letter A for the duration of her life. In Puritan Boston, which the story sets, the town considers adultery an ignominious act. In the romance The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses diction, and point of view to create a critical and analytical tone in order…

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Emersonian Nature In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

Emersonian Nature in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter In 1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote Nature, an essay setting the foundation of transcendentalism. Fourteen years later, Nathaniel Hawthorne would write the classic, The Scarlet Letter. At first glance, one may not connect the two, but the experiences of Hawthorne’s characters interaction with nature demonstrate a strong sense of transcendentalism that is also found within Emerson’s essay. The Scarlet Letter focuses on Hester Prynne, a young woman…

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The Devil And Tom Walker And The Scarlet Letter Essay

In religion, sin is the thing that makes God see you as unfaithful to him and your religion. In both The Scarlet Letter and “The Devil and Tom Walker” religion and sin are discussed and shown in ways that are both similar and different. Nathaniel Hawthorne painted the religion that people like Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale believe in, to be extremely strict when handling the punishment of sin and just religion in general. It seems that Washington Irving showed more of a disrespect for religion…

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The Scarlet Letter was written by Natha Essay

1. The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the late 1850s. The genre of this novel is classified as a romance and a historical fiction. Hawthorne is seen as important to the world of literature because he was the most famous writer for the anti-transcendentalist which can best be described as a realist, he wrote over 46 stories and impacted America by showing the bad instead of the good in society. Unlike most fiction writers of his time, he was not primarily interested in stirring…

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What Does The Rosebush Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

were at one time fairly uncommon. One of the very first authors to utilize extensive literary symbolism was Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses many instances of symbolism including that of the scarlet letter, Pearl, and the rose bush. The scarlet letter is perhaps the largest symbol, and the namesake, of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel; throughout the book, the letter has multiple…

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The Scarlet Letter Essay examples

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, protagonist Hester Prynne is exiled from society when she is forced to dawn a scarlet “A” upon her chest. This is punishment for Hester’s adulterous union with Arthur Dimmesdale, followed by the birth of their illegitimate child. Although, written one hundred and fifty years ago Hawthorne’s novel contains concepts and insights still relevant to today’s readers. Hawthorne’s themes of sin, judgment, feminism, and redemption have made The Scarlet Letter…

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