"Scarlet Letter" Analysis
"It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates. Hatred, by a gradual and quiet process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility." This quote represents, in my opinion, a very important belief and aspect of the novel "Scarlet Letter." The quote shows a belief that everyone would rather show and give love to each other rather than hatred and cause despair. It also shows the belief that any hatred, however strong or personal, can and will in time lessen and eventually, slowly turn to a love.In "Scarlet Letter," this quote plays a major role, or rather is a great aspect of the plot of the novel as this happens before our very eyes. In the beginning of the novel we meet Hester, led out of prison and made to stand in front of a massive crowd of on-lookers in shame. No less, the brilliantly embroidered Scarlet Letter shone brightly, reflecting the sun's rays to only fortify the shame that Hester had to feel. Then all of the towns' people hated Hester and her sinful crime, especia
This is an important aspect, because it shows how the Puritan people, no matter what happened, soon or later would forgive and forget. Now today, by the old Puritan standards, there is probably half a million people committing adultery at any given moment in the world. Back then adultery was the be feared, and sex was actually seen as a bad thing if it wasn't between two married people. So slowly their hatred of her sin and crime turned to respect for her courage to everyday be able to handle the abuse and then to even admiration. As time passed by, however, the symbol on Hester's breast, the Scarlet Letter, started to change meaning and as this happened they also saw all the good she did and how she took everything they did to her. This shows us how much more strict the times of the colonial Puritans were, and show how their beliefs shaped their lives. And every time, she did so, she made herself subject to abuse, though mostly verbal, some physical as well as young children imitated their parents throwing verbal abuses upon her and also throwing small stones. She did this even though as it said that often these people would bite the hand that feeds them. This doesn't mean though, that people always are fickle, just that humanity is always subject to the possibility of fickleness. lly the women who even thought her punishment was not severe enough. Back then sins were considered crimes, which ties religion to the state and your beliefs to your laws. So although she did these things for them, even they would sometimes abuse her with verbal insults. Today is the farthest thing from it. This leads me to believe that no matter the year, no matter the people, no matter what is happening, people are fickle.
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