Shaping consequences in the Scarlet Letter
             Scarlet Letter is a book about Hester Prynne, whom is the subject of guilt and humiliation in the entire book. Her simple fault causes a whole array of consequences that define her future and makes her repay for it. It all brings up a dilemma on whether or not she really deserves all this punishment, or if she deserves more.
             For all that she took in, the rather abstract punishments Hester accepted ultimately changed her way of life and shaped her in a way that was very positive. Any harsher physical punishment definitely would not have been necessary and may have even had a negative effect if used on her... here are some examples of the necessary consequences that made her almost a whole new person.
             In chapters one and two the author introduces a woman in the middle of a crowd of watching people. Hester Prynne, the "sinner," comes out from a prison door to the scaffold, who is then ridiculed in front of everyone, especially for the ornate scarlet letter (the printed A on her chest which stands for Adulterer). Yet, Hester Prynne seems to actually accept her humanity rather than struggles against her humiliation.
             Indeed, it is what happened after Hester's affair that made her into a shamed and alienated woman from the rest of the community. She was outright humiliated and pointed at from the very beginning. This is one of harsh punishments that a woman, let alone a man, can ever take, in my opinion. Isolation and aloneness can lead to depression, and thus give her the time to reflect on and regret her sin.
             In the book, we can definitely see signs of guilt in Hester. When she was free to flee from Boston, she chose not to. Instead, she chooses to stay, and take in more isolation from the community. But to help it out at the same time, she utilizes her talent– sewing. Although still an outcast, we can see here she still tries to help out and make up for her guilt at...