Scarlet letter theme
A theme is a central idea or abstract concept that is made concrete through representation in person, action, and image. There can be more than one theme in a story. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth all demonstrate Hawthorne's theme of being true to oneself or facing dire consequences. Hester Prynne demonstrates the theme of being true to oneself in The Scarlet Letter in the very beginning in Chapter 2 when the people of the town behold her upon the scaffold for the first time. "On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A...[the letter's decoration was] greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony"(p.44). Although Hester is
Unfortunately for him his physical and emotional state begin to deteriorate in result of his guilt. "His form grew emaciated; his voice, though still rich and sweet, had a certain melancholy prophecy decay in it. This very act of slight rebellion is a foreshadowing of Hester's stubbornness to serve her penitence for she will again in a later chapter of the novel refuse to take of the letter because she feels it is part of her and that she must be true to herself in paying for her sin. In contradiction to Hester's forthcoming manner about her sin, Arthur Dimmesdale is the complete opposite. Roger Chillingworth undergoes a satanic transformation. Clouded by vengeance and anger Roger diverts from his true self. People should not disguise themselves but always be sincere to who they are and always take responsibility for there actions. As he proceeded, a terrible fascination, a kind of fierce, though still calm, necessity seized the old man within its gripe, and never set him free again"(p. In truth the novel's theme is a simple everyday moral. Many examples in the book like the one above show that Arthur is not strong enough to cope with his sin in private but he is too craven to come forth and take his equal share of punishment.
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